Family Tree
by CJ7
Summary: Sunny's back this time with more drama. The Curtis brothers unlock a family secret but they begin to wonder if the secret was worth unlocking. Faces from the past return to the brothers.
1. Chapter 1

AN: Sorry this was rushed I wanted to get the first chapter up before work!

I groaned as I picked another box up. "We ought to have a yard sale."

Darry raised his eyebrows. "I don't think anyone would want to buy this stuff."

"Darry, what is this?" I pointed to what looked like an old trunk.

Darry shrugged. "Got anything in it?"

I picked it up a little it was heavy. "Yeah"

Darry shrugged. "I don't know I don't have a key either."

I dragged that box up to my room. I had gotten the outline to a new tattoo on my upper back, believe me Darry wasn't happy. I looked around my room at the all the boxes. My family shipped everything here. All my furniture, clothes, books you named it they sent it. It was like they didn't want any part of me left; they even sent all my weights. To make room in the basement, which we put my old furniture and weights we had to go through the junk in the attic that wasn't needed.

Darry come in dropping the last box from the porch. "Maybe we ought to hold off for that yard sale. Just shove everything in the attic; no one wants a yard sale in November."

"December." I corrected. It was December first two days until my book came out.

"Jesus." Darry said under his breath. He rubbed his shoulder.

"Almost time to start decorating."

He rolled his eyes. "I don't know it's the first Christmas with out Mom and Dad."

I bit my lip. It was first Christmas with out my family too. "Well, we have to make it a special one then." I picked a box up.

"What are you going to do tattoo Merry Christmas to your forehead?"

"I was thinking more of my ass."

* * *

Darry's (P.O.V)

"I think that's the last of it." I closed the attic back up. Sunny emerged from his room dragging and old trunk.

"Aren't you a little bit curious to what's in here?" He asked wiping away a few beads of sweat.

"Probably forgotten bullets and guns, Dad used to hunt, when we were little he locked them up so we wouldn't blow our heads off."

Sunny winced. "Never saw the fun in hunting."

"We have a ton of keys in an old jar. Follow me." I decided not to argue with him about hunting.

Sunny dragged the old trunk in the kitchen. "Don't give me a hand or anything."

I dumped the entire jar or keys on the table. "What kind of lock is it?"

"Master." He mumbled. He already began to sort through the keys to figure out which ones would fit the lock and what brands to toss back in the jar.

We began attempting to unlock the lock but the keys didn't fit. Sunny picked up the trunk. "I'll get this opened some how."

"Yeah, well I gotta' get ready for work."

"You're working the night shift again?" Pony's voice came from behind.

I felt a jolt in my stomach. He looked defeated. I rubbed the top of his head. "I told you guys, night is more money, especially since there isn't many roofing jobs do to snow and cold weather."

I was almost done changing my shirt when Sunny walked in. "Figured I'd take the kid for Chinese. Want me to bring you some home."

I shook my head. I wasn't too big on Chinese food; in fact, I wasn't big on anything Sunny ate. He was a health nut and whole wheat junk and he rarely touched meat. Soda and I dreaded him making dinner. I don't think Pony really minded.

"Darry, you have to talk to him or something."

"You're work schedule and his school schedule conflict. You barely talk."

"Sunny, what do you want me to do, ain't like your any better, your either cooped up in your office or room writing, or out for something with your book." I ran my hand through my hair. It was way to long; I hated how fast it grew. I was about to give my self a buzz or maybe just shave it all off.

"Well he doesn't want me."

I laughed, they idea of my little brother actually wanting me or needing anything from me except the roof and food was slightly odd to think about. "I highly doubt that it's me. He's probably just mad about Soda going out every night. Besides I think he preferred coming home to a roof instead of a cardboard box."

"You act like you're going to go in the poor house any moment. You're oldest brother is a double trust feud baby, you haven't need Soda's paycheck since I got here, we're not exactly loaded, but hell we're okay."

"He knows I have to work. He's fourteen not four."

Sunny rolled his eyes like a little kid. "Yeah, do you not remember what it was like at fourteen, your face breaks out, arms and legs out grow each other, hair pops up in random places, and your heart, and head and hormones start arguing."

I stomped into my boot. "Sunny, he doesn't like girls yet, and incase you haven't noticed our girlfriends claim he's an absolutely beautiful child, he looks more and more like Soda everyday. Pony's fine."

"Does your hard headedness come from your mom's side or our fathers?"

I knocked on his head. "I believe Dad." I grabbed my keys. "Hey, Ponyboy, I'll see you later."

"What time you coming home?" He asked pulling his nose out of his book for once in his life.

"Probably around two. So don't wait up; you have school."

"Bye." He said turning back to his book.

* * *

Sunny's (P.O.V)

I threw down my tool; the garage was cold and I needed a break. I stepped inside the house thankful for the warmth. My hands felt like they were frozen. I turned the water on hot and washed them.

"Sunny?" I nearly jumped a mile up. I turned to find Soda with a face of someone who was caught red handed. "Sorry, didn't mean to scare you. I guess Pony's asleep."

"He might be its only" I looked at the clock above the stove. "Twelve thirty five." I was out in the garage longer than I realized. "You're late."

Soda starred down at his feet. "I shouldn't be punished; I would have gotten away with it."

I raised my eyebrow. "That's a lame excuse, what's the real one?"

"See, Evie wanted a real date not the Dingo or Jays, so we went down town to this little Italian place, and my date lived in farm country, our food came late and we'll yeah."

"I'll let it go, since I was distracted, and because I feel for Steve."

Soda grinned. "Thanks, I'm going to get a shower."

"I'll go make sure Pony's asleep." I pushed open the door of the bedroom that he shared with Soda. I smiled at the sight. Pony was sprawled out with his history book next to him fast asleep. He had a single lamp on. Poor kid still had his jeans and shoes on. This was going to be a chore. I went over to his bed, grabbed his History book, and put it in his backpack that was on the floor. Then I worked on his shoes. Here was the real task, his shirt. I sat him up softly.

"Abraham Lincoln signed the emancipation." He mumbled.

I laughed. "Yes, he did."

Pony squinted in the light. "What time is it?"

"Way past your bed time. Did you finish you're homework?"

"Yeah, Darry home?"

"No, but you need to get ready for bed."

He pushed me away so he could take off his jeans. I turned the lamp off so he could stop squinting. He struggled with his jeans for a moment but manage to kick them off. I tossed him a shirt from his closet. He put it on like a little kid dressing himself for the first time and couldn't find wear to put the head.

"Let's make this painless." I said. I helped; he put the shirt on backwards but I wasn't going to say anything.

He flopped back on the bed. I sighed I forgot the covers. I got him the undercovers.

"Sunny?" He called as I pulled the covers up to his chin. "Tell Darry, I finished my homework."

This was clearly the sleep talking. "Alright, I will."

"Love you." He barely mumbled.

"Right back at you."

* * *

Darry's (P.O.V)

I hated the lumbar yard job I had. It was one for the winter only. We cut fire wood; I think it hurt my muscles more than the roofs. I signed when I saw the light on in the garage. Who ever left it on was going to be in serious trouble. I stomped into the garage to find, Sunny with that old trunk.

"What are you doing?" I asked beginning to wonder if his brain had frozen.

Sunny nearly jumped out of skin. "I almost got it, see the lock is unbreakable, since we don't have the key and all the old tricks didn't work, I took the hinges off. One last screw."

He unscrewed it and ripped the lid of the box until it was hanging by only the lock. "It's letters."

"Letters?" I questioned, now I was interested. "Let's take it into the living room."

Sure enough, the entire box was full of letters and shoeboxes filled with pictures.

I pulled a hand full of pictures and began sorting through them.

"That's weird." Sunny said suddenly.

"These letters here have no return address but it's to the same to houses." He handed me the stack of envelopes. "But these letters are addressed to our house and they are from those to houses."

I looked at the addresses it was from Florida. "I don't know anybody in Florida. Do you?"

"Yeah, my Grandparents live there."

I looked at the dates on the back of the pictures. "Sunny, this is you and Dad; I couldn't have been born yet." He scooted next to me.

"Who is this woman?" He asked me.

"I think those letters might tell us."


	2. christmas tree

I put my head on my balled fists. That night was sure… hell filled. I pressed harder on my fists letting my head dig into my fists.

"Sunny!" Pony shouted.

I looked over at him. "Yeah?"

"You're burning the eggs." He said.

I looked over. How the hell I didn't realize that the eggs were charred was beyond me. I muttered curse words under breath and turned the fan on to get rid of the smell. "Let's just do cereal."

"Did you and Darry get into a fight?" Soda asked he poured Fruit loops in with his Lucky Charm.

"No, and Soda you're going to be puking if you eat that."

I was starting to get one of those headaches, the ones that went down your neck. "Where's Two-Bit?"

I wanted him to get here so he could take Pony to school and I could leave. I just wanted to get out of here.

"Where's Darry at?" Soda asked putting his empty bowl in the sink.

"Jesus Christ, you know that whole half brother half guardian thing. I'm right here what do you need."

I wasn't Darry, my voice hardly raised. The commotion of the room just stopped and they were both starring at me with wide eyes.

"He's the one who takes me to work. I was just wondering." Soda said quietly.

My head started to pound. I felt guilty for my outburst. "I'll take you to work, buddy."

I went to grab a hat and my jacket and about five aspirin. I heard Two-Bit in the next room blabbering on about some nonsense. "Sodapop, let's go."

"Why aren't you wearing Dad's fedora?"

"I just felt like wearing this." I answered. I could feel Soda starring at me. "What?"

"What's going on? You didn't even care that I came home late you didn't even notice! You're acting weird."

"It's nothing Soda; and I did care that you came home late. It's just I was working on something and I forgot to check the time. So, don't think you can get away with it tonight."

"Alright." He muttered.

I pulled up to the DX. "Have a good day."

"You too." He jumped out of the car and waved before he ran into work.

I had no plans of going in to work today or even writing my article. I found my way to Grace's. She still lived with her parents with my luck lately they'd still be there. The only car in the drive way was hers. I knocked on the door.

"Sunny?" She pushed her dark red hair back. "What are you doing here?"

"Freezing." I muttered.

"Oh." She stood back and held the door open so I could come in. "This is a surprise."

"I didn't feel like being at home."

"Then why aren't you at the office writing?""

"I don't want to be there either!" I snapped.

"You snap at me like that, and I'll leave you in the cold. Take a seat."

She sat across from me on the other couch the way she did when she was mad at me. I rolled my eyes. "I don't bite."

"I have marks that prove other wise."

I smirked. She got off the couch and settled next to me. She turned her body and grabbed my face. "What's wrong?"

"Darry and I found a locked trunk; it had no key so I took the hinges off. We found letters and pictures inside. Apparently, my Dad and Darry's Mom Sarah's love was forbidden. There family and Sarah's family didn't get along. They wrote letters to each other. See, they came from Florida. When she found out about Sarah, She went to Tulsa for college and to marry some rich guy who got scholarship there. He came from L.A that was my step Dad he visited Florida every summer to see his Grandparents. Right before, my Mom left, she took me with her and told my Dad's parents about Sarah. The disowned him, Sarah wasn't right for him, he should get my Mom back and fix what was right. They had to stop hiding their love, so he left, and found work in Tulsa and married Sarah. He wrote his family, his Mom was furious said he made his second greatest mistake. He wrote back saying that Sarah was pregnant and he would have nothing to do with them again."

"Sunny, I don't understand what's wrong with you?"

"Some of the letters were unopened from his parents. They stopped almost fifteen years ago. They all said that they wanted to see the new baby and me and be reunited. They still hate Sarah's family but they were willing to work out the differences."

"Okay, it's a lot to take in."

"No, see when my Dad locked the trunk he had pictures of me inside. See when he locked the trunk; he put away everyone he didn't want."

"Sunny that's not true, Darry even said"

"No! He put everyone behind him and it makes sense! I disowned him for the first rich man who bought me tickets to a game, so, he locked me away. It makes sense why else would he not bother to tell Pony and Soda about me." 

Grace rubbed my arm. "Baby,"

I could feel my eyes water. The last thing I wanted to do was cry. "I think about what I went through making my mistake of almost letting go of my family, I wonder if they even know their son is dead, or that he had two more babies." I rested my head on the edge of the couch to force my tears back. "I wish I had the chance to talk to my Dad."

She pulled my head down to her and cradled it running her hands through my hair. "Come on, we'll go visit him."

Darry's (P.O.V)

I made it home before Sunny. It seemed like everyone on my street either had lights up or was putting some sort of decoration up. I walked inside just in time to see Soda wail the remote control across the room.

"Fuck this." He mumbled. That was a lovely attribute of having Sunny live with us.

"Hey!" I hollered. "Did I just hear the F word."

"I hate TV."

"Then go outside."

"Ponyboy, can I have a cigarette." Pony tossed the pack of cigarettes. I intercepted the pass.

"What on earth is the matter with you?"

"I wish it would just be summer, I hate Christmas, and it's everywhere. On TV, outside, even at work."

I understood what he was saying right now. It hurt; our first Christmas with out our parents was going to be horrible. I prepared myself well for getting their minds off it, but I had forgotten that it was going to be every like Soda said before.

I sat down next to him and put my arm around him. "Hey, kiddo, we got through the other holidays, well be fine, we even have Sunny this time."

"He's acting weird." Soda looked to be close to tears.

I pulled him close to me. I knew why Sunny was acting weird; I knew we'd have to tell Pony and Soda. Sunny came bursting through the front door.

"Okay, get your coats, all of you, Darry go fire up the hunk of junk."

"What are we doing?" Soda asked. He was starting to perk up with Sonny's enthusiasm.

"Getting a tree."

Soda collapsed down against me. I smiled a little at him. "Sunny, let me talk to you outside."

I shoved him outside and smacked upside the head. "What are you doing, I just got home and Soda was yelling about it being Christmas."

"Well, we sit and let them mope, or we show them that we can have fun."

Darry raised his eyebrow. "It's not a good idea, what happened you were in a shitty mood last night?"

"Talked to Grace Saw Dad, sent Grandma a letter."

"YOU WHAT!"

"She at least deserves to know that her son is dead. I sent her a letter, my name my number, I'll talk to her."

"We have to tell the boys."

"Yeah, we do, but right now, there is a Christmas tree sale going on, Darry you're idea of shoving the decorations in the back of the attic isn't going to make them feel better."

I sighed, he was right, I was furious about him writing that letter but right now I had to think about Pony and Soda, and getting a Christmas tree did sound fun.

We managed to get the biggest one on the lot. I thought I was going to have cut it down to fit in the house. They actually had fun.

"What is this? Did you dig out your Grandma's Christmas album?" Sunny had decided we needed Christmas music.

"The Beatles nor the The Doors have come out with a Christmas album."

"There's Elvis in there somewhere."

Sunny rolled his eyes. "Of course, we can have a blue Christmas."

"We have a Christmas Song book! I can play them on the piano." Soda said.

I pulled Mom's Star out of the box. "Come here Pony." I'm going to lift you up. Put this thing on."

"Shouldn't Sunny do it?" He said.

"I thought it was tradition that the youngest does it." Sunny said taking a swig of his beer.

"Nope, Mom and Dad just went right down the line, but you haven't done it." Pony said. "It's your turn."

Sunny smiled. "Alright."

I dropped Pony to the feet. We watched as he put the star on. "Alright, it's ten, go get ready for bed."

Soda stuck his tongue out at me. "Yeah, that means you too, Mister I'm a half hour late for curfew and got off easy."

Soda frowned. "Good night!"

I sat down putting my feet up on the coffee table, Sunny followed in the same manor.

"Thanks, if you wouldn't have been around I probably would have just sent them to bed earlier."

"Sent them to bed early and then went off to work to hide. Not have to face it."

I looked down at my hands. He caught me in my own set up. "It's not like that; I don't mean to run away like that." I sounded so much like Pony.

"I know," He said. "We all run sometimes."

"Yup."

"So, Sunday is a big day."

I shook my head. "Sonny, I don't want nothing big."

"I believe the word is anything, you'll be twenty one."

"Us, the gang and our girlfriends alright, no Shepherds and high school friends."

"How about we play here, for a while, then I'll buy you a real drink. Or can you not handle you're Vodka?"

"I can handle it."

Sonny raised his eyebrows? "How do you know?"

"Good night." I groaned.


	3. drunken nights and phone calls

Sunny had Dad's laugh. I don't think I ever told him that. I pulled my legs up on the chair and rested my chin on my knee looking at my toes. Darry always hollered at me that if I didn't put socks on I was going to get a cold. I didn't see how socks were going to prevent me from getting a cold or not.

"Soda, you can ice the cake now." Maria said. Soda had been mixing different colors of icing.

Soda grinned he bounded over to the cake and began decorating. I was kind of worried on how this one would turn out.

"Pony, what'd you get Darry? Sunny told me you two went down town the other day." Maria asked. She always tried to start conversation with me.

"Yeah, I got him a shirt."

"That's nice. I'm sure he'll like it."

I rolled my eyes, and caught Sunny's drop the attitude glare. I didn't really mind Sunny and Darry's girlfriends, it's just sometimes I didn't like the way I got treated. I gave him a half smile. I didn't see the rest of his look because the phone rang. I ran to answer it but Darry must have just gotten home because when I turned the corner, I ran straight into him.

He looked down at me like I was crazy. "Sunny, phone!"

I followed Darry back into the kitchen. He wrapped his arms around Maria and hugged her real tight.

"Happy Birthday!" She turned around and kissed him. "Darry, why didn't you take off on your birthday?"

"I did the lumber yard job. Besides, I got beer from the guys at work. It's still in the truck."

"What do you guys think?" Soda tilted the cake so we could see his icing job. He put every color even black and brown on the cake and made it so the swirled. "I think the swirls remind me of Steve's hair?"

Darry put his hand on his stomach. "I'll remember that."

* * *

(Darry's P.O.V)

I looked at the presents in front of me. It was mainly cases of beer from everyone besides Pony who had gotten me a shirt and Maria and Grace. The party was starting to die off finally. Even Soda and settled down, who was on the worlds biggest sugar high. Him, Steve and Two-Bit started a game of poker.

"So, Darry, ready for my present?" Sunny asked grinning mischievously. I knew his present, he wanted to take me to the smallest little honky tonk bar and get me drunk the bar was half way in the middle of nowhere. I don't mean drunk lightly, he wanted me rip roarin' wasted.

"It's Sunday, I doubt it's open."

"Baby, I called. It's open. Go change out of your work shirt and let's go." Maria tossed the shirt Pony gave to me.

I sighed. "Grace isn't there some moral code you have."

She shook her head. "Nope, sorry."

"I hate you." I said toward Sunny. I took my shirt.

"I know buddy, and after tonight you may hate me more." He called.

I brooded down the hall into my room. I was happy about the night out but not of social services somehow found out about it. I could help but smile to find Pony sprawled out on my bed. I tossed the shirt on my dresser, first things first. I sat at the edge of the bed. His hair was wet, God I hated when they didn't even attempt to dry it. I brushed a few strand of his face. He responded to the touch opening his eyes and squinting at the light.

"Partied out?" I grinned.

He nodded slightly. "Urn ight off."

"Finish your homework for tomorrow?"

"Yea" He said.

"You feeling alright baby? It's only." I looked over at my alarm clock. "Quarter till one. Way past bed time." He groaned and rolled over.

"I could hear everyone in my room. You're room is the furthest from everyone."

"Alright. Go back to sleep." I switched the light off.

"Soda." I said, buttoning up my shirt in the living room. "I'll give you until one, and then I want you in bed."

Steve raised his eyebrows. "You still have a bed time?"

* * *

Sunny's P.O.V

"Come on buddy." I never meant for him to get this plastered. I looped Darry's arm around my neck dragging my drunken, dead weight brother who weighed nearly as much as I did. Maria was attempting to help but it wasn't much. Grace was trying to open doors and keep him steady, once again not much help. In one night, I saw every type of drunk come alive in Darry, five shots of vodka did him good. We managed to get him in the house down the hall with out waking boys up in the living room.

"Shit!" I muttered. Pony was sleeping in Darry's room. I dropped him down on the bed.

"Pony!" Darry almost rolled over.

"Whoa, leave Pony alone! He's sleeping."

"He'll have" That's all I could make out of his slurring words. They poured out of his mouth strung together.

"Darrel, Shut up." I gave Grace a hand with his shoes.

Darry sat up. "You can't tell me what to do! I'm in my room."

I swung around to the bed where Pony was laying. I put one hand under his neck the other under his knees and lifted up.

"Bring him back!" Darry called only to be shooshed by the girls.

I came back in. "Why the fuck did you take him away, he's out of site can't see him."

"Because, he has school tomorrow. If you're feeling good tomorrow, you can mother him all you want."

"He don't like it."

"Doesn't," I corrected even though correcting him drunk was useless. God he was going to kill me come tomorrow.

"Come on, baby, sleep." Maria climbed into bed next to him. "Some one needs to watch him."

I wish I could say my hang over was better, but I felt guilty after what Darry said about social services possibility seeing him. Even though the bar we went to was a place absolutely no one but bikers, truckers and cheap farm people went too. It was a shit hole and I'm sure they never went there. I went into work early because I had to get stuff to print. Then swung by the bookstore to see if anyone here bought my book. I scanned the shelves until I found. I felt jittery even though I saw my name in print a million times and chances are every one in a thousand people would read my book it was still the thrill of having my name in real print. I grinned a few copies were sold. Now it was time to face the music. I wondered how bad Darry's hang over was. Oh boy, they were all there well Two-Bit was there and chances are Steve was there and Two-Bit alone was capable of making your hang over a hundred times worse.

"Where's Darry?" I asked. I looked around the living room it looked a tornado went though it.

"Room!" Soda tumbled out of the kitchen.

"Save the gymnastics for outside Soda." I said as pushed passed what seemed to be the laundry I cleaned, ironed and folded the other day.

"How you feeling, Darry?" I asked.

Darry groaned and rolled over onto his back. "If I said like hell it's be putting it lightly. He spoke with his hands covering his eyes. "Sunny, I don't remember anything after the game of pool. But I do know that Pony was sleeping in here before we left."

"He didn't see you. He slept when we dumped you in the bed and then I took him to his room. Just tell me this did you have fun?"

"No" He answered grinning really big.

"You're smile says otherwise." I grinned.

He pulled his mouth into a straight line. "Fuck off. I ain't kidding."

"Isn't and we're not allowed to say the F word." Darry pulled his hands off his eyes and I twisted around to find Pony standing in the doorway. "Are you hung over?"

"He has a migraine, Pony." I lied. "What are you doing eaves dropping like that?"

Pony shrugged. "I'm not; I needed you to sign this before I forget."

"What is it? A detention slip?" Darry snapped.

"Fieldtrip to the court room." He answered.

"Give it here." I signed his permission slip. "Darry have you had water?"

Darry shook his head. "I don't want to eat or drink anything."

"Pony, get him a big glass of water and about four aspirin." Pony smirked but he went to do it.

"I didn't do anything stupid last night did I?" Darry asked.

"Yeah, but you can ask Maria about that. You freaked a lot about the state seeing you said a lot of interesting things."

"Just don't think this is going to become a regular thing." He might have went on but a large bang came from outside. He groaned. "I can't get them to stop, it hurts when I yell."

"I have something to tell you. She called."

"Who?" Darry asked.

"Dad's Mom. She had a lot to say. I called her back again today at work. She wants to see us. Meet us. His parents didn't know they died. She wants us to come down for Christmas."

"What about Christmas." Pony asked coming in with the water. There was another bang and a lot of laughter.

"Soda may not live to see it." Darry mumbled. He took the glass from Pony. "Thanks."

"Darry, we'll talk later. Come on Ponyboy we're going out, Darry looks like he needs sleep."

Pony shook his head. "I'm tired; I have homework plus what if he needs something."

Darry rolled over on his stomach again. "Let him stay, he's quite."

"Soda, what the hell are you doing?" I asked he lined the couch cushions in a row.

"Come on, we have to go down town."

Soda looked at me. "I don't have too."

"Yeah, you do."

"You two clowns needs to shut up, Pony needs to study and Darry needs to sleep."

"Let's get out of here." Two-Bit said.

"What'd you do that for?" Soda asked.

"Because you can't shut up, and Darry needs quite."

"So, what are we doing?" He asked leaning forward to change the radio station.

"I don't know."

"Why didn't Pony come?" He asked.

"Pony wasn't being loud. Didn't Darry tell you to quite down."

"Can we get hot chocolate?" He was avoiding my question.

"Yeah" Coffee did sound good right now. "What's going on with you, Soda? You trying rebel?" I looked over at him when I didn't get a response. He just shrugged. "I mean it now, you need to start listening, I'm sick of you not"

"I ain't a little kid." He protested.

"Well, then stop acting like one."

He stuck his feet up on the dashboard and turned out his window and stayed quite. "Sunny." He said suddenly. "I'll clean the living room up when I get home."

A/N I don't really like this chapter I may take it out, I don't know.


	4. truth

A/N: Warning, there is some sexual content.

"I told her all about it." Sunny said. "She cried on the phone. Not talking to your son for twenty-one years. Then finding out from his kid he's dead."

"I don't know, I mean those letters didn't give us much information. But Dad had his reasons for not talking to her."

"And he didn't read the letters where she apologized but he kept every letter that was sent. She says she'll wire us the money we'll need for a plane or gas just to call."

"If we go we drive, but we have to tell the boys. It's their Christmas it's up to them."

"So when do we tell them?"

"No one is here right now, they are watching TV. It might be our only chance to tell them alone."

Sunny lit his cigarette. He took a puff. "Let's go."

I wondered if his stomach felt like mine. Bundled up tightly and sick. I felt close to puking. I wanted to puke.

"Turn the TV off, we need to talk." I said.

"Can't it wait a half hour?" Soda asked.

I shook my head. "Off little buddy."

"Are we in trouble?" Pony asked looking up to Sunny and I.

"We're going to make a long story short. When we were cleaning out the attic, we found a trunk full of letters; some opened some not. We found out that Dad's family lives in Florida and the reason Dad and Mom never talked about there family's was because they weren't supposed to get married. So they moved here because Dad's family and Mom's family didn't accept there love. See, his family regrets it; they want us to meet them."

"That's kind of like Romeo and Juliet." Pony said. "With out the suicide"

"Do they still live in Florida?" Soda asked.

"Yeah, I talked to her. They want us to come to Florida for Christmas." Sunny answered.

"They know about the accident?" Pony questioned.

"I had to tell them." Sunny said gravely.

"I know it's a lot to take on, we want you guys to think about it. I mean we don't have to if you don't want to."

"Can I go to Steve's?" Soda asked standing up.

Sunny looked over at me. "Sure, just be back by ten." I said. I figured right now he needed a friend.

I stood out in the hallway, I could see Sunny and Pony inside the door but I was hidden to their sight. They were in deep conversation, I don't mean caught up in but they were talking about how Dad would feel, how our Grandparents must feel then comparing that with what went through Sunny's head when he found out Dad died. It was weird, I was always told I was the spitting image of my father but I think that right now Sunny had me beat. He always wore Dad's old fedora and pilot jacket but right now, he was sitting with his back toward me on the bed one arm over Pony who was lying underneath the covers. He looked like Dad in every aspect. I couldn't help but be jealous with how easy he could talk to Pony. I felt a set of arms wrap around my waist, I breathed in for a split second I thought it was Soda but I realize quickly it was Maria. She rested her chin gently on her shoulder.

"Why aren't you in there?"

I had called her previously and told her everything that was going on. "Sunny seems to be doing just fine. "I wouldn't be much help."

Her lips brushed over my neck and I shivered. She was the first person to be able to make me do that? I watched as Sunny leaned down and kissed the top of Pony's head. He walked out and jumped a little with surprise to find Maria and me standing there.

"Eaves dropping?" He questioned.

"He wants to go." I stated.

Sunny rubbed the back of his head and nodded. Then as if, he read my mind. He asked. "Why don't you guys take a drive or walk or something?"

"Yeah, you want too?" I asked Maria.

She nodded and smiled. "Come on, I'll drive."

* * *

(Sunny's P.O.V)

I rubbed my eyes and glanced at the clock. I must have dozed off. "Holy shit." I muttered. I tried to look around for Soda's shoes he always left them lay. I got up and went to check their room, no sign of him. I bit my lip down maybe I should call the police. I stepped out on the porch. I could see the lot from the house, that's usually where they were but the lot was vacant. I breathed out into the cold air watching my breath swirl. That reminded me I wanted a cigarette. There was one thing I learned never to do turn the news on when they were out. It scared me too much. I picked up the phone and called Two-Bit and Steve no sign of them anywhere. I could hear someone knocking at the door.

"Yes?" I asked opening the door to Soda and a police officer.

"Found him at the park, bad neighborhood to be out late in wasn't doing anything wrong but the park closes after dark." He was talking fast like he really didn't have time for this kind of thing.

"Thank you officer." I said. I pulled my wayward brother inside. I shut the door. "Where the hell were you? You were supposed to be at Steve's long behold he hasn't seen you!"

Soda shrugged. "The park thinking, the fuzz said I wasn't doing anything wrong."

"Apparently you weren't thinking about time at all it's twelve, Darry told you to be home by ten."

"I didn't have a watch on me, what the big deal? I've stayed out later than twelve before."

"The big deal is you were told to be home by ten and you weren't."

"Sorry" He half-heartedly apologized. "Don't you even want to know what I was thinking about?"

I sighed. "What's bugging you?"

"I want to go to Florida." He said.

"Alright, is that where you were the park the whole night?" I asked.

Soda nodded. "Do you realize how dangerous that is?"

"I can handle myself"

"It's not about handling yourself, it about avoiding it in the first place."

"Why are you on my case? Darry never is?"

"Do I look like, Darry."

A smile escaped from Soda's lips. "Yeah, actually you do."

I laughed a little. "I knew that was coming. Alright look pal; I know right now you want to grow up but believe me you got a couple years left, enjoy it alright?"

Soda smiled. "Alright." He hugged me.

"You really think a hug is going to save your ass from trouble?"

Soda shrugged. "I figured it might work."

"Go to bed before I change my mind."

"Knew'd work."

* * *

Darry's (P.O.V)

"Darry!" Maria pushed me down breaking my kiss. "What are you trying to do here?"

I breathed heavily. "What do you mean? You took my back to your apartment."

"Yeah but."

"But what change your mind on me? You lead me back here." I slid out from underneath her and zipped my pants up. "I don't see the dig deal you're on the pill."

"Darry, we talked about this."

"I guess I got mixed signals." I stomped my foot into my boot. Where the hell was my shirt.

"Where are you going?"

"Well it's pretty obvious that you don't want me."

"I drove you how are you going to get home?"

"Walk" I left her in her bedroom.

"You're willing to walk ten miles in the freezing cold? Darry get back here!"

"Like I said, I'll walk." I grabbed my sweatshirt.

"So I don't want to have sex and you walk out. I never knew you were an ass hole."

"It's not about that."

"What the hell is it about then?" She was screaming and beginning to cry.

I was hoping she wouldn't cry; I'd really feel bad. "Like I said you don't want me."

"This isn't about us, is it?" She slid in front of my and the drawer in nothing but a t-shirt and underwear.

Maria was looking at me intently, I didn't like that either, I felt like she could see right through me. "Sit down, Darrel before I hit you."

I wasn't sure if she'd hit me right now or not but I wasn't going to put it past her. I took a seat on the couch.

"What is this about?"

"The people in Florida, they didn't want us, the wanted Sunny and his Mom." I put my head in my hands. "I feel so useless. It's like they don't need me anymore, I'm still fumbling over this guardian thing, but it's like Sunny is flawless at it. I didn't know how to handle Christmas; he does. It's was bad enough before with Ponyboy, but now I don't know what to do it's scary. Now, I acted like an immature ass and I'm going to lose you too."

You can't just apologize can you?"

"I'm sorry."

"Darry, Sunny came along when things got easy, he's not handling their firsts, and believe me when he has to, he's going to fumble just as much as you do."

"I guess."

"Look at me." She grabbed my face and turned me so I was looking at her. "Sunny hurts because he lost his father he never knew, you hurt because you lost your only father and mother, and never go the chance to grieve. Darry, its okay to show emotion."

"I need to leave, it's not good to come home and wake the boys up in the middle of the night. It's not a good example."

"Okay. Be like that. I'll drive you."

The drive home was quite, the type of quite that wasn't peaceful but was tension filled. I didn't think anybody would be up but Sunny was up reading when I came in.

"Hey, you waited up?"

He dog-eared his page. "Yeah, I figured why not wait up a little while longer since I waited up for Soda."

"He came home late didn't he?" I asked unzipping my sweatshirt.

"Yeah"

"So, where we spending Christmas at?" I asked.

"Florida." He answered he was looking at me weird. "Darry can I ask a question?"

I nodded my consent. "What?"

"What happened to your shirt?"


	5. afraid

"How lucky are the schools two extra days of Christmas break?" Grace said.

I shook my head. "I hate snow, I hate cold weather." The schools had two snow days right before winter break.

"You have to ignore Scrounge over there. He can predict rain and snow with his hand." Sunny said.

I cringed, he was right my hand was throbbing. "Where are the boys? I haven't seen them since breakfast."

"I don't know, is Pony alright, he's been acting funny since last night."

I starred at him. "Gee, a gigantic snow storm trapped us in our house with our girlfriends. Can't imagine what his problem is."

"I know, but I think it's different."

"You also spanked him." Grace said.

Sunny frowned as last nights memory came back to him. "He dumped out all my beer. That wasn't just any beer; that was expensive."

"I call shower!" Soda's happy voice filled the air as he bolted past us.

"Don't track snow in the house!" I hollered.

Pony kicked off his boots. He made a mad dash for his room before anyone could say hi to him.

"I'll be back." Sunny got up. I watched him disappear down the hall. It wasn't long before you could hear him screaming so loud it made the girls jump.

"I wonder if the neighbors can hear." Maria said.

I shrugged. "If they can, they haven't called the cops yet."

"Pony's cracking up it's not like Sunny's actually beating him." Grace joined in. "He's so good with kids."

I nodded it was all-true. Sunny came out with Pony dangling from his shoulder.

"Sunny, you're going to drop him and crack his skull open." Maria warned.

Then just for the show, Sunny dropped him. Pony flipped over and landed on his butt. I rolled my eyes. "You two should join a circus."

"You excited about going to Florida?" Grace asked.

Pony just nodded. He went back to wrestling with Sunny. The second Soda got out of the shower he joined.

Sunny's P.O.V

I put on my shirt. It had been a calm day. The roads were finally clear enough for the girls to leave after dinner. The door to my room pushed open. I whirled around to find my youngest brother standing there. He tossed a book on my bed and looked up at me.

"You read my book." I sat on the bed. I don't know why I was so surprised, Pony read everything and anything he could get his hands on so why not my book. "That's and adult book, I'm sure that's on the list of things Darry doesn't want you to read."

"You wrote yourself into the novel." He said abruptly.

I nodded. "See writers write from there own experience. They just add a little imagination to their work."

Pony climbed on my bed. "Did you use drugs?" He asked. "And go to jail?"

I felt as if I was naked in front of the entire world right now. "I used drugs, I got off on probation. The jail part was part of a friend's experience."

I couldn't read Pony's face. I knew he was disappointed in me. "Did you're friends really kill themselves because of drugs?"

"My friends got stoned, and wrecked their car. They died in the crash."

"Ponyboy, I didn't expect you to read my book, this isn't how I wanted you or Soda to find out."

"Do you still use drugs?" Pony asked.

"No." I answered. "In fact the state drug tests me. If I fail I lose you."

"Do you ever want to use them?" Pony asked.

I shook my head. "No, I'm a caffeine and Nicotine fiend. That's it."

"What about alcohol?" Pony asked. "People who abuse one substance are likely to abuse another."

I wanted to ask is this was substance abuse week at his school but this wasn't a light matter. "Sweetheart, I'm not addicted to alcohol. I don't drink everyday."

"You drink a lot, that's where it starts." He protested.

I didn't know what to say. I mean how do you explain to someone this. "Two-Bit drinks more than me. Would you call him and alcoholic?"

Pony shook his head. He was fiddling with the strings of my comforter. "Two-Bit doesn't do drugs."

"Ponyboy look at me." He eyes trailed up to mine. "I'll cut back if it makes you feel better okay."

He nodded. "Come here, kiddo," I hugged the kid so tight I didn't think I'd ever let go. "Promise me, you'll be smarter than me."

"I promise." He said. He pulled away. "You don't have any other secrets do you?"

I smiled. "Nope."

"Here, since I read you're book you can my theme. I had to write a theme about something so I wrote about what happened a few months ago."

He had hand written every page it looked to be almost 90 pages hand written. I set his theme on the nightstand next to my bed. I pulled him back into the hug. "I love you." I kissed his head.

"Goodnight." He hopped off my bed.

Darry's (P.O.V)

It was too early for this but I had slept all day. "Everyone got everything?" I asked.

"Yeah, you've asked like a billion times already." Soda said.

Sunny shut the hood to his car. I personally wanted to take the truck but he said he'd rather take his car. We managed to squeeze all out luggage into trunk.

We were leaving before the sun was even up. Sunny wanted to be out of Oklahoma before the traffic got really bad. It was also his brilliant idea that if he could get Soda and Pony to sleep for a good portion of the day it'd make everything painless. Sunny tossed me the map.

"I'll start of driving." He already had a cigarette in his mouth. "They money they sent us is in the glove box."

I rubbed the sleep out of my eyes. "Damn it, did I fall asleep on you?"

Sunny gave a laugh. "Yeah just for a while."

I looked back Pony and Soda were out. I sat up in my chair and switched the radio station. "Have they been sleeping the entire time?"

"Yeah" He answered.

"So what now?" I asked.

"You explain to me what's going on with you and Maria."

I shrugged. I didn't want to talk about it. What was I supposed to say because my little brothers who aren't so little love you more? I got insanely jealous almost walked out on her because she would have sex with me. "Who knows?" I answered.

"I see." He muttered. Sunny wasn't falling for it.

"Are we out of Tulsa yet?" I asked just to start a new conversation.

"We're out of Oklahoma, buddy. It's nine."

I looked at the clock. "I've been asleep for three hours. Sorry about that." I muttered slightly embarrassed.

"It's okay. I've driven to Florida before."

"Family vacation."

Sunny glanced in the backseat. "No, when I was sixteen. My friends and I did it. We got a little buzzed it seemed like a great idea then."

"When we get gas I'll take over driving."

I got out, cracked my back at the gas station, and grabbed some coffee for the both of us. Sunny tossed me the keys. "She's all yours." I was a solid hour into driving when Sunny took out a familiar stack of papers held together by ribbon.

"Is that Pony's theme?" I asked.

Sunny nodded. "Kid's got a hang for writing."

"Wouldn't know." I said. "I've never read it."

"Don't look so defected, he read my book." Sunny said carefully. "I didn't let him. I didn't even think he'd read it."

I cringed; I wasn't even half way done with Sunny's book. That was almost like letting Pony read the "The Carpet Baggers." "That's just fantastic."

"You don't have to be so hurt. He was trying to even things out. You know that's why he tossed my beer out. Thought I was going to become an alcoholic." Sunny laughed.

I didn't find it funny. The truth was he did have a beer everyday. Dad never kept it in the house or any liquor for that matter. When Sunny did drink. He could hold more than Two-Bit. I could easily see where Pony, could get the impression. "I don't find it funny."

"Darry did you even ask him to read this?"

"No, but I asked him what it's about. I know what it's about. I don't think he wants me reading it."

"Why don't you ask?"

"Why don't you shut up?" I snapped.

Sunny signed, he shoved the papers back into his backpack. "It's going to be a long trip. I'd rather not fight."

"I just want to get this over with." I said. We agreed that'd we spend Christmas there and then come home and spend it in Tulsa.

"I want to see their faces when they see the ocean for the first time. I'll never forget the first time I saw it." He rattled on about the ocean.

"Sunny, can I tell you something." I asked interrupting his mindless chatter about the ocean.

"Sure."

"When I was thirteen Dad took us to the lake. The undertow or something was strong. I got pulled under and almost drown. We never really went back to the lake."

"What are you saying? You afraid of water?" Sunny asked.

I shook my head. "I'm saying, that scared Dad so much that he never took Pony or Soda in water over their heads again. Besides the local swimming pool."

"Alright."

I hated admitting this; I think he wanted me to just say it. "They probably aren't very strong swimmers. In fact, I know they aren't. The ocean is dangerous, you have the currents and undertow then sharks." I paused for a second. "I just don't want them wondering on the beach alone."

"You're afraid they are going to drown?"

I nodded. "Afraid doesn't even justify it. Don't tell them this."


	6. MIA

We were only a few minutes away now. Sunny's eyes jolted over and the connected with mine. I tried to smile to be a bit reassuring. His idea about making sure they sleep most of the ride was a good one. When they were up it was pure hell. He lit his last cigarette and turned onto the rode.

I let out a breath of air. "Damn." I muttered to no one in particular. It was nearing midnight. That was actually the plan.

"There it is." Sunny said. It was the only house on the street with the porch light on. It was a nice neighborhood too. The kind of neighbor hood perfectly edged sidewalks and flowers surrounding flagpoles. Sunny pulled to a stop in front of a yellow house with dark blue shutters and siding.

The people on the porch didn't look as old as I thought. I guess Curtis' age well. I stepped out in time to see the lady tear up. Of course, the two who looked like her dead son came out first.

"I'm Sunny." Sunny said. She ran to him taking his face in her hands.

"I'm Darrel Junior." I said. I glanced at the car. They were beginning to wake up. Hands coming on my face distracted me.

"Oh my God! They look just like him." She was in tears. So was the old man.

She turned her attention to Sunny. "I held you in my arms at the hospital. Now look at you."

"Where's the babies." The man asked.

"Babies?" I nearly choked.

Sunny grinned. "They're not really babies." He opened the car door. "Come on guys."

I tried to breath, they were spitting images of my mother especially Soda. I wondered if that would be okay, after all they didn't like my mother. I didn't have anything to fret about. They fussed over Pony and Soda.

"Come in! Come see you're Grandpa's and Grandma's house." He ushered us inside. Sunny's eye's meant mine. I knew what he was thinking. The furnishing in this house was unbelievable. It was all oriental with art on the walls to match. I wondered if we were even clean enough to sit on it.

They led us back to a living room. That was still nicely furnished with art on the walls but this room seemed to have some old western theme to it.

"The room has a big bed. But we have the couch too. It turns into a bed." Grandma said. "Rosa has the other room."

"Rosa?" Sunny questioned.

"She lives with us! Her family's from Cuba." She has an accent it was Mediterranean for sure, I couldn't pin point from where. She disappeared and returned with a beautiful Spanish girl. She caused Sunny, Soda and I to squirm a bit and Pony to give us weird looks.

The bed that was in there was big enough to fit all of us. "This was your Daddy's room." She said. "I'll let you unpack and sleep."

"Sleep?" Soda bounded up on the bed. "I've been doing that all day!"

I rubbed my eyes. "I haven't, here buddy, you unpack and ware yourself out. I'll go wash up." I patted his head. "Have fun." I'm sure I could bet five dollars and win that he stuck his tongue out at me.

I looked around when I stepped out into the hall. All the doors were closed. I didn't want to invade privacy or wake anyone up. I stood there for a second.

"You lost?"

I whirled around; Rosa was standing there in a silk nightgown. All her hair that was tied up fell around her shoulders now.

"Umm." I felt like a dumb kid again. "Sort of."

She smiled. She was starring at me. I looked down I could feel myself blush. She had been looking at me muscles.

"You must be very strong."

"Yeah. I guess I am." I replied dumbly.

"Here." She grabbed my hand. "I'll show you so you don't get lost anymore."

* * *

Soda's (P.O.V)

I woke up early the next day. Sunny was already gone. I bit my lip hoping he wasn't down stairs. I wanted to get out before anyone saw me. I carefully climbed over Pony and got dressed. I looked on Sunny's map before be left I needed to go about twenty miles to get to the next little town. I'd figured I'd walk if I had too. I tiptoed down stairs with my shoes in my hand. No one was up yet. Once I got outside the door, there was nothing.

I sighed this was going to be a long walk. I put on my shoes and started to walk.

I walked about a mile when a car pulled up to me. It wasn't the first car just the first one that stopped. I looked over to see a man with a hat on sitting in the driver's seat. "You lost stranger?" He asked.

I shook my head. "I don't have a car. I'm on my way to South Point."

He leaned over and opened the car door. "Get in, I'm headed over that way, you'll be walking for miles, son."

I climbed in. The inside was torn. He stuck out his hand. "I'm Frankie."

"Sodapop." I shook his head.

He pushed back a laugh. "You ain't a fugitive are you?"

I looked at him confused. "No, sir, that's my real name."

"Bubbly." He said with a large grin.

He pulled up in front of a big store. "This is my stop. What street you looking for?"

"Orange Valley."

"It's about a mile down the road on your right."

I began walking; I had to stop myself from running because it was early. This neighborhood was real nice. It wasn't oceanfront like our grandparents house was but it was better than most socials neighborhoods in Tulsa. I walked until I found the address. I came to a yellow house with white shutters and two old ladies walking out of the house.

I smiled this would be perfect. I waited until their car pulled out of the driveway and around the block before I ran up the cement steps. I rang the doorbell and quickly wiped the sweat of my forehead and hands.

She answered the door, not looking very big at all. In fact, she looked petite still just more worn out.

"Hi Sandy."

* * *

Darry's (P.O.V)

I woke up alone in the bed. I could hear voices trailing upstairs. I patted my hair down and pulled on a shirt. The voices were coming from the living room. I could see Pony in his dress clothes sitting on the chair talking to Rosa and Grandma. I smiled at least he felt comfortable. I walked over to Pony and sat next to him.

"Why are you in your good clothes?"

"We went to church." He said.

"We didn't want to wake you. I know you work hard." Grandma said.

"Yeah, thanks." Once again, I found myself slightly embarrassed. "Where's Sunny and Soda."

"Sunny left a note. That he needed to go get some stuff." Rosa replied. "Soda is probably with him. Or your Grandpa."

"Darry, want to go to the beach?" Pony asked.

I looked around the room, unsure of what to say. I sighed this was Florida what could I expect. "Sure." I said.

The air was kind of breezy if you ask me but that didn't matter to Ponyboy. I walked to the surf with him. God, I didn't want to go in. I didn't want him to go in. The water was freezing.

"GOTTCHA!" Pony was swept away from the surf. Sunny spun him around in the ocean. "Darry, how well can you catch?"

I waded in a little bit. "Sunny, don't you dare!" I growled. He dared. Pony went flying into the waves. I ran out there next to Sunny. "What's wrong with you?"

"He's fine."

Pony's head popped up. "That was fun."

"Where'd you go?" I asked Sunny.

"We got a Christmas tree to decorate for tonight."

"We?"

"Grandpa and I, you I left a note."

"I got it, but where's Soda?"

Sunny's (P.O.V)

"He was gone when I woke up. He didn't say anything to me."

Darry's face dropped. "He didn't say anything to anyone."

This was the last straw. "He fucking knows better. Look I'm sure he went present shopping or to just look around. It's a real safe neighborhood. We really don't have anything to worry about."

Darry shook his head. "What if he decided to go swimming?"

I shook my head. "His suit is in the drawer, it was in there before I changed. So don't freak out, we don't want to scare anyone."

I guess working in construction really paid off for Darry because he and Pony built a sand alligator. It was Pony's idea. I looked at it next to me. It actually was looking nice but it was even better watching, Darry and Pony be together with out fighting. Darry was talking to Rosa. Actually, he was never kept his eyes away from Pony who was by the surf with Grandpa. Grandpa knew about every type of shell. We had found some interesting ones. Now, he was explaining to Pony about them.

"Joe! It's five!" Grandma hollered. "Rosa and I are going to go make dinner."

Darry looked over at me. I must have returned the same horrified look because Darry's facial expression didn't change. Soda was gone all day.

"Go ahead on in boys, we are going to go look at some more shells." Grandpa said to us.

I dragged Darry up to our room reminding him to stay calm. I changed into dry clothes. It was embarrassing enough that we lost our teenager on the first day here but for Darry to go on one of his outburst would probably be even worse.

"I'm going to find him, stay here. I'll call you in twenty minutes to check and see if he came back, and I'll call as soon as I find him." I pulled my shirt on. "Then I'm going to give him the worst whipping. So you can calmly talk to him when he comes in."

"And what if they don't agree with hitting children." Darry mused.

"They won't have to know."

I had no place to start. I pulled into town and drove down the strip, pulling over to ask teenage girls and a couple pedestrians if they had seen him. I was about to pull into a parking lot to call Darry when I saw a certain brown haired boy walking. I pulled up to Soda. He looked up guilty as ever.

"I'm sorry; I didn't mean to be late." He said.

"Late? You didn't tell anyone where you were even going!" I barked. "Do you know how freaked out Darry is right now?"

Soda shook his head. "I imagine pretty freaked."

"Oh you won't be able to imagine. Where the hell have you been?" I yelled.


	7. Oh boy

I watched Soda walk in with his head hung. It was a no brainer what had just happened today. He left, he didn't tell anybody where he went or who he was with. I was more surprised that Darry didn't hit the roof. I guess Sunny wanted to keep his yelling under control. Sunny didn't really like yelling. I studied my oldest brother's grim expression. Suddenly I felt really bad for Soda because he must have had a good reason so run off like that, and chances are Sunny wasn't going to be a mercenary.

"Sunny, give me a hand with this. Will you?" Darry asked. He meant the tree. He and Grandpa had tried to get the tree through the door. They finally made it only one problem. It was too tall. "We can cut the top off a little." Darry suggested.

They cut the top off the tree. Then decorated, Grandpa and Grandma went all out on the tree decorating thing. They had beads, tinsel, lights, ornaments, candy canes.

"So; what do you boys, want from Santa Claus?" Grandma asked. She was looking at Soda and me more than Darry and Sunny.

"San" Darry slapped a hard hand over my mouth.

"Corvette" Soda answered.

Sunny laughed. "My kind of boy."

"He doesn't know how to change his oil." Soda announced. "I have to change it for him."

Darry pulled me up from the floor on his lap for some odd reason. I didn't mind the floor was getting hard to sit on anyways. I shifted to get comfortable. I wondered if Darry and Sunny were really going to let her think that we believed in Santa. I stopped in about third grade. Darry accidentally told me. I remember it like it was yesterday because my mom was real ticked.

* * *

Darry's (P.O.V)

I groaned. "Oof." I squinted at the light, someone was sitting on me but I couldn't tell who. I just knew it was one of my younger brothers because Sunny weighed too much and I could defiantly tell if he was sitting on me.

"Darry get up." Pony demanded. I guess he'd been the one smacking at me.

"What's the matter?" I raised my hand to feel his forehead for a fever.

He smacked it away. "Not that, you've been sleeping all day, and I need to go shopping."

"Get, Sunny. He is always up at the crack of dawn." I said.

"He's not here."

"Where is Soda?" I asked.

"Not here."

I groaned trying to roll over. Pony snatched the pillow from underneath my head. I fell back hard on to the mattress.

"Darry, please." He begged. "Get up its noon."

I opened my eyes and looked at my brother. "You're sitting on me, I can't get up."

He scrambled off me. "I'm not anymore."

"Make me coffee." I threw my legs over the side of the bed. I could really get used to this sleep till noon stuff. "Where do you want to go?" I asked Pony as he handed me my coffee. He was nearly dragging my out the door. "And for whom?"

"Grandparents." He mumbled buckling his seat belt.

"Can't you just draw them a picture." I asked.

I could feel Pony's glare on me. I smirked, he was getting to old drawling pictures and homemade things weren't gifts anymore.

* * *

(Soda's P.O.V)

I dug my toes deep into the sand. Sandy did your Grandma make you get an abortion?" I asked.

She lay back on the sand. "No, I was in a car crash on my way down here. I lost it then."

"I'm sorry." I said. I leaned over to brush the tear from her cheek. Her blues eyes were filled with pain. "Whose was it?" I asked. I never bothered to ask her before she left then again I didn't have much time to ask.

"Timmy Brumly." She answered. "It was right after, that party the one where Dally got arrested at. You left when I was drunk. It just happened."

I felt stupid. "I guess I'm partly to blame."

Sandy shook her head. It was tied up in a pony tail it never used to be. "You didn't do anything wrong."

"I never should of left. Evie was sober. I thought she'd take care of you. I didn't think you'd" I stopped I didn't want to continue. I rested my head on my knees.

"Please, don't cry." She ran her fingers through my hair and rested her head against mine. "I never wanted to hurt you. We used protection. I didn't think."

"That's right!" I snapped sounding more like Darry than I ever thought possible. "You didn't think, you didn't think about me at all! I loved you, Sandy! You nearly killed me. If Pony wouldn't have been gone. I would have killed myself but Darry needed me!"

She smacked me hard across the face. "Don't you ever think about taking your life! Sodapop Curtis, that's not a way out and you should know that. God, I don't know what I would have done if you would have killed yourself." She was crying.

"You probably wouldn't know about if I did." I mutter merciless. It was at that moment where I realized I really hurt her. I didn't want to hurt her I still loved her. "Sandy, I'm sorry. Come on baby, don't cry."

"Why shouldn't I cry? You're crying!"

I hugged her close. "We got to stop. We look like we've lost our minds, everyone's staring at us."

Sandy moved her hand to my face. I moved in to kiss her but she pulled away. "I have to get back; my Grandma will be back soon."

* * *

Darry's (P.O.V)

I stood bare foot on the surf watching Pony he was climbing on rocks. "Come on Darry, its fun!"

I shook my head. "Ponyboy be careful!"

"Don't worry that's pretty solid." I whirled around to find Rosa standing behind me. "I've come to occupy you; they are wrapping presents, and kicked the other two out about an hour ago. So, I was sent to keep you two busy."

I smiled. "I see. It still scares me if he slips, he could hit his head."

Rosa slipped her arm under neath mine. "Then let's go some place that doesn't make you worry. Ponyboy, come on we are going to get ice crème."

"He must really love you." Rosa said she smiled at Pony.

"I guess." I answered awkwardly. "I think I used to think he was the odd ball of our family. But now that I see Soda, Sunny and him together I think it's me who is the odd man out."

"There's nothing odd about you, Darry." Rosa said. "You're a good man."

"Thank you." She was pretty, really pretty. Pony got along with her. That was always a good thing. I thought about the days before I left. My relationship with Maria seemed to be sinking fast.

"Looks like Pony have made a new friend." He was playing games with some girl who looked to be about his age.

I sat back in my chair putting my hands behind my head. "Not really into the whole girl thing yet. He's not going to know what to do with himself when he is though. Looks like that."

"What you? You work hard, do you have a girlfriend?" Rosa asked.

I bit my lip. "No, no I don't." I felt part of my sink. I looked over to Pony again the girl he was with was gone.

She smiled. "We should probably get going."

"Yeah, we should."

Sunny's (P.O.V)

I was reading Pony's story in the chair when Grandpa informed me he wanted to take Darry and me golfing. I looked up from Pony's story.

"Golfing?" I questioned. I can't even remember when I went last all I know is I tore up the green and I don't mean that in a good way. I left sports behind a long time ago. I wasn't itching to get back either.

"Yeah, you like golf?" He grinned wider than Soda.

"Sure, I'm not any good." I lied.

He slapped me on the back. "It's okay."

I caught Soda's grin and was about to say something when Darry and Pony walked in with Rosa. That was odd. Darry has this strange look to him too. "Where have you two been?" I asked.

Darry shrugged. "We had to go shopping this morning and then Rosa found us on the beach we went to get ice crème."

"Ponyboy, were making sugar cookies!" Soda held up a Christmas tree shaped cookie cutter.

Pony paled he looked nervously around the room. "I'm tired." He made a mad dash for the stairs.

The only thing you could hear was Darry's sigh. The whole room had gotten quite. I could see tears brimming Grandma's eyes. I stood up quickly. "I'll go." I made way to the stairs. I found Pony sitting on the bed starring off into space. He must have expected Darry to be the one to come up because he wasn't crying or was trying hard not too.

"Hi." I said sitting down on the bed.

Pony looked at his hands. "Hi."

"Want to tell me about it?" I asked.

"Didn't you and you're Mom have something special at Christmas?" Pony asked

"Yeah, we made ornaments one for every year."

"We made cookies. Dad never made them. He sat in the living room with the news paper saying he was only good for the eating."

"Come over here." He crawled over to me and I pulled him into my lap. "Tell me more."

"She'd always sing jingle bells. Then Dad sang his version, she'd get mad only she wasn't really mad." He leaned his head into my chest. I brushed over his back with my hand.

"Sunny?"

"Yeah?" I asked.

"Do you ever miss you're Mom?"

"Yeah" I answered truthfully.

"You should call her on Christmas." He said. "In case anything happens."

I smiled. "Pony, have you see that tree, I think our grandparents bought out the entire store. I'm going to be too busy watching you and your brothers tearing open presents."

The edges of his mouth folded into a smile. "So you want to go decorate cookies?" I asked.

Pony shook his head. "No, you're comfy." He snuggled closer.

"Well then." I shifted around to angle my back against the head bored. "What did you and Darry do?"

"Went shopping and to the beach and got ice crème."

"Have fun?" I asked.

He nodded. Darry rushed in, he glanced at us and then quickly looked embarrassed. "Do you know we are going golfing he asked?"

I nodded. Darry shrugged out of his clothes to change into his old shorts to sleep in. "We are getting up at six."

"Oh, boy." I said sarcastically. Darry seemed really stoked. He collapsed in bed. I patted the back of his head.

"Don't touch me." He growled.

I grinned and looked at Pony. "Here Darry, Merry Christmas early." I tossed Pony on top of him and left to shower.

I was dreading the morning. My Lord I was about to embarrass myself. I threw myself over the bed. Soda and pony were sleeping in the center. Darry was sorting through his clothes. I hated golf. I didn't mind football or hockey or even good all American baseball but golf? It reminded me of a bunch of rich people bragging at there giant country clubs about how much money. There was no competition to it and hitting a ball in a hall bored me. I frowned this was going to blow.


	8. Chapter 8

That was awful. I think I tore up more of the green then I hit the ball. Darry enjoyed himself, it was the first time I saw him relax and enjoy himself this entire trip.

I legged behind them. They were talking about drivers or sand wedges. I don't know I didn't know what club was what, hell I couldn't even keep score. Hell, I didn't even know how to keep score.

"So, boys, you like cigars." I watched Darry's face fall.

"Hey! That's something I can do!" I jogged to catch up with him. Grandpa snaked his arm around my shoulders. "I promise I can't destroy this one."

He gave a deep sullen laugh. It was weird because no matter how happy Grandpa was, he always seemed sad like a little kid who had lost his puppy.

He introduced us to everybody at the country club as his boys. We sat I recognized the cigar almost immediately. My step dad smoked them. I grinned he passed me my cigar.

He lit another one up and passed it to Darry.

Darry shook his head. "No thanks."

"He doesn't smoke." I said.

Darry nodded. "I ain't even had a cigarette."

Grandpa waved him closer. "This is different. Don't inhale just try it?"

Darry made an attempt. He started coughing. He shook his head. "No thanks."

(Pony's P.O.V)

I collapsed down in the sand. Today was tiring. Grandma decided to take me and Soda to the zoo and to the water park. It was getting dark Soda and I had been chasing each other around with water guns. I never through it could be cold in Florida but the nights did get kind of chilly. I think it was because it was December but it was nothing compared to Tulsa's Decembers.

Soda came and sat on my stomach. I groaned, "Soda!"

"Auhh!" He pointed his water gun at my face. "Now you must die." He pulled the trigger and a stream of water was let off in my face.

I flipped him over a full blown wrestling match started.

"Pony, Soda, you hurt each other doing that." Grandma said. "Come here. Come sit by me."

"We ain't hurting each other." Soda squeezed the sand in his hand out creating a small castle.

"Can I ask you something?"I always wanted to know.

"Yes." She ran her fingers through my hair. "What is it?"

"What was my Dad like when he was a kid?" I asked. I glanced at my hands. She pulled me closer.

"He was creative, athletic. Very passionate. But at the same time wreck less. He always loved, helping people. He was a leader and" Grandma suddenly stopped tears fell down her face.

I looked up at Soda. I wasn't as good at comforting people as he was but Soda didn't know what to do. "I'm sorry, I shouldn't have asked.

"No, no. It's okay."

"Come on. Let's go swim." Soda nudged me up. I dropped my water gun and ran out to the water.

Darry's (P.O.V) "I'm going to get him." Sunny told Grandpa and Darry. He slipped of his gym shoes and handed them to me. It wasn't easy to run in the sand with shoes on. Sunny took of running and scooped Soda up from behind and threw him over my shoulder. That was a mistake he was dripping wet.

"Sunny!" He tried to kick his feet. Sunny started spinning as fast as he could. He dumped Soda off in the sand.

"Were they good for you?" I asked I stepped on Soda.

"Angels." Grandma replied.

"Soda, what happened to your back?" I yanked Soda to his feet to inspect the damage. He had a scratch on his back.

"The tide is strong, I guess when Pony and me were jumping off the rocks, and I scraped one."

"Where is Pony?" I asked.

"Here!" He jumped on my back.

"You guys ready?" Sunny asked.

We traveled back to the house. Rosa was making coffee. "You need some help?"

"I call shower!" Soda yelled. He took off running with Pony close behind at his heels."

"Hey no running in the house!" I hollered after them. I shook my when they ignored me. "What do I know anyways?"

Rosa laughed. "I'm sure a lot."

I laughed uneasily. "Maybe. Let me get that." I carried the tray with coffee and cups on it into the living room. I set the tray down.

"We are out of sugar and milk." Rosa said. "I can get some if you'd like."

"I'll go with you." I offered. It was getting dark and I knew she'd walk to the store. She shouldn't be walking alone.

"Darrel. May I speak with you outside?" Sunny asked through his teeth.

"Umm Sure." I got up and Sunny pushed me on the back porch and smacked me hard in the back of the head.

"What are you doing?"

"What do you mean what am I doing?" I rubbed the back of my head.

"See there is this five foot seven, absolutely gorgeous girl at home waiting for you."

I rolled my eyes. "You've seen out relationship."

"Yeah, I have. I know enough about you to know you love her."

"Whoa, Sunny! We don't say that. I'm walking a nice girl to the store that's all."

"Take Pony with you." It wasn't a suggestion. He was demanding.

"Sunny, what the hell is your problem?"

"You won't do anything immoral in front him. I know you that well to say the least."

He threw his cigarette down next to me and stopped it out. Then left me. I heard him calling for Pony before I stepped in the house.

"Why do I have to go?" Pony asked. He was half way whining.

I grabbed him by his shoulders. "Sunny's off his damn rocker that's why."

Pony just shrugged. We walked down the street. I examined him with Rosa. It was a lot different then he was with Maria. He was relaxed; he actually gave her more than one word answer to her questions. When we got to the house he held open the door for her.

Rosa immediately excused herself to go to bed. Sunny was playing guitar. I sat down on the stone fire place. I know it sounds childish but I didn't want to be anywhere near him. I traced around the stones with my finger.

"Darry, do you play any sports? I heard you were excellent at sports."

"I used too." I answered briefly.

"He's really athletic." Pony said. "He has a scholarship because of it but gave it up to keep us together."

No one said anything. It was awkward silence.

"How come you guys didn't like my mother?" Soda asked breaking the silence.

I looked up to see Sunny shooting him a nasty glare. The truth was I had wanted to ask the question since we got here. I didn't find it rude; he was just curios all three of us were.

"We fought with her parents. We didn't get along with her parents. When we found out it was her he wanted it was fight after fight. It's not right, for him to have a child, and not love who he was with. Your Mama was a beautiful woman. We tried to connect with them after they moved but it didn't happen. We never meant to lose our son."

"I think you would have liked her." Soda said. "She was really pretty and fun."

"Your Daddy was just so mad. When he moved, he was a compassionate man but he had a quick temper and one it ignited it started the entire fire." Grandpa smiled a bit. "It runs in the family."

I looked at me hands. Dad never had a bad temper not that I remember. I knew Sunny had to get help for his but not my Dad. He rarely raised his voice and never held a grudge. We'll except for the grudge he held for twenty one years against my grandparents.

"He stopped opening your letters when you sent them. That's why this thing went on as long as it did." Sunny said.

I could see Pony forcing himself awake in the chair. "Pony, head upstairs."

Soda rolled off the couch. "Come on."

"Do they always sleep together?" Grandma asked.

I nodded from my position on the fire place. I still didn't feel like moving. "Pony had nightmares after our parents died. Soda slept with him to make him feel more comfortable."

"You boys are so good to each other."

Sunny raised his eye bowl at me. "I guess so."

The fire was beginning to make my back hot. It felt good sort of like a massage. I leaned back and listen to Sunny talk about how he came to live with us.

"What made you decide to take care of them?" Grandpa asked.

I looked up. "Me?" He nodded his consent. "I didn't want to be split up. Doesn't make much sense to split us up, when we are better off together."

I heard a blood curdling scream from upstairs. Sunny looked over at me. He was on his feet faster than I was. "This hasn't happened in a while."

We took off up the stairs leaving our poor Grandparents confused. I skipped to a stop on my heels. Pony was curled up in a ball. Something was different.

"What happened Pony?" I asked.

Sunny arm's wrapped around him. He began singing. I hated it when he sang, well not really but it just lured me right to sleep. I never understood Sunny. He was one of those people that when you looked at him, you thought one thing but he was always the opposite of how you thought he was.

I laid down watching as he set Pony back. That was the last thing I remembered.

I woke up in yesterdays close. Pony right next to the other two were gone. There was no point in staying in bed all day. I walked down to the kitchen. Grandpa had gone to work. Sunny and Grandma were doing God knows what. We were supposed to meet them some where for lunch called the Blue Dolphin. Then was the second note Soda. He went to a friend's house. I shook my head he'd been able to meet people no matter where we were.

"Darry?" I turned around swiftly to find Rosa standing there. "I head a scream last night. Is everything alright?"

"Yeah, sorry Pony had a nightmare last night."

She smiled. "Its alright, I have to go."

I watched her walk out the door. Suddenly I didn't want to be alone here. I ran up stairs.

"Ponyboy." I shook him. "Hey, little buddy wake up."

He groaned and rolled over. "Morning."

"Come on, it's just me and you for a while. I don't want to be in the house."

"Okay." He rolled out of bed. His hair sticking in every direction. "Let me fix my hair."

"Yeah, yeah go grease it. We have to meet everyone for lunch at noon."

He came back into the bed room with his hair greased. "How come it's always me and you?"

I smirked. "What you getting sick of me."

"Not yet. What are we going to do?"

"It's hot out."

"Beach." Pony answered automatically.

We went down to the beach and did the usual. I liked spending time with Pony especially here. It was more relaxing.

"Darry." He came and sat next to me on the towel. His check bones were starting to turn red.

"Yes."

"What happens if I don't want to go to college?" He asked gently.

I sat up wiping the sand from knees. I could feel a lump forming in my throat. "I can't force. I guess it's your decision but you ain't dropping out of high school."

"What happens if I don't want to be a business man or a lawyer or a doctor or something like that?"

"Pony, I just want you to have every opportunity that I didn't have." I shifted over. He was starring at his feet. I could tell he was really uncomfortable. "Listen Pony, I just want you to be happy."

"So, if I want to be a writer you wouldn't be mad?"

"A writer huh? Like Sunny."

"No, I'd write mysteries."

A writer was a writer either how he got that idea from Sunny. I shook my head. "I wouldn't be mad." Maybe a little bit disappointed in myself. I guess it was a good thing Sunny was around, he needed somebody with ambition to look up too.


	9. Stop punishing me

Sandy smiled down on me. She was standing at the top of her porch her hair blowing around in the breeze. Suddenly her smiled faded. "Oh no, my Aunt and Grandma are back."

I didn't even see that the car pulled up. The two old ladies stepped out and glared at us.

"Let me handle this, Sandy."

"Aunt Joan, Grandma it's not what you think." She immediately said.

"Who are you young man?" One of them said to me. Sandy never told them about me, just the one who got her pregnant.

"I'm sorry ma'am I know it's real un proper being with her when no one is home but see I was out running when I saw Sandy and I hadn't seen her in so long. I just had to say hi. I didn't want to be rude. My name is Soda." I extended my hand. "I'm really very sorry."

"Are you a schoolmate of Sandra's?" She shook my hand.

"Sort of, I live in Tulsa I'm here visiting my Grandparents. I just went out for a run and well ran into Sandy."

The lady smiled for the first time. "Well, I'm Sandy's Grandma; this is Sandy's Aunt Joan."

"It's a pleasure to meet you both."

Sandy's Grandma smiled. "Where does your family live?"

"A few miles from here; Then my brothers and I live in Tulsa."

"Are you're parents on this trip with you?"

"No, ma'am they died, a little while ago."

"I'm very sorry to hear that."

"Its okay, my older brothers take care of me and my younger brother Ponyboy."

She smiled. "We'll there's no use in standing outside, Sandy, invite your friend inside for tea."

Darry's P.O.V

We walked into the diner and spotted our table.

Sunny laughed. "Come here Pony. What'd you do to him, Darry? He looks beat."

"I didn't do anything." I replied taking notice to how he rarely cussed in front of our Grandparents.

"I swallowed a lot of salt water." Pony announced.

"Well close your mouth in the water."

"You guys were in the water?" Sunny interrupted

"Yeah"

"You realize it's a red flag."

"That explains why everything was so fierce." Pony said.

Sunny shook his head. "Yeah, I'm sure it does."

"Where's Soda." I asked.

"Took off again right before we left. I warned him to be back here."

"Now, you boys stop it." Grandma reprimanded. "He doesn't want to be trapped inside with older people."

We shut our mouths but I gave Sunny a look that said we'd defiantly finish this conversation later. I was starting to really get sick of Soda disappearing well with a red flag out it was tearing me up.

"Where is he going off too?" I asked. Sunny was smoking a cigarette by the window.

"He told me he met some friends who live about ten minutes away. I let him go with the promise that's he'd be back for lunch."

"Yes well now our grandparents want to take us all out to the movies, to see those light things and what ever else comes two days before Christmas Eve and once again we lost, Soda."

"Keep your voice down." Sunny hissed. "You sound like a raged animal when you yell."

"Look right before he left I warned him what would happen if he was late."

"I don't want that to happen. I just want to know that he's alright."

Sunny nodded; he rubbed his head. "My fucking head kills, I might just stay here."

"You're not coming?" Pony wondered into the bed room.

I studied them for a second. See if Pony thought I treated him like he was six why he wasn't mad at Sunny. Sunny would have carried Pony and Soda on his hip if they'd let him.

"My head hurts kiddo." He said. "You go and watch Darry. And don't leave the adults sight. You hear me?"

"Yeah, yeah." Pony rolled his eyes.

"Pony have you gone with Soda, at all to his friend's house?" Sunny asked.

Pony shook his head. "Been with Darry the whole time."

Sunny gave us each questioning looks. He shrugged before laying face down on the bed. "I ought to call my girlfriend tonight. She's probably wondering what the hell happened to me. Maybe you could give Maria a call."

I shook my head. "Why are you pushing me?"

"Because you know why."

I threw a pillow at him.

"Ponyboy tell your brother that he's fucking stupid." Sunny flipped me the bird.

Pony just stayed quite. "I think you both are."

Sunny took the pillow of his face. "Wrong move little, man." He lunged foreword and grabbed Pony by his middle then slammed him onto the bed. "Get him"

Sunny pinned Pony's hands behind his back and we both began to tickle him.

Sunny's P.O.V

I fell back on the bed. My head was really beginning to pound. Pony jumping on the bed wasn't helping either. He jumped once and landed across me. I guess it was pretty amusing to Darry because he started to laugh.

"Hey rebound boy, shut your face"

"I ain't on the real bound." He snapped.

"Player, shut your face."

"Player?" Pony questioned.

I bit my lip. "It's when means you have more than one girlfriend."

"I guess girls can't be players." Pony mumbled.

"Why not?" Darry asked.

"Because every time Sylvia cheated on Dally, she was called a no good whore."

"Ponyboy." I shook him. "Don't call girls that."

"I guess Two-Bit's a player."

"Two-Bit's a whore." Darry corrected.

"I don't think 'm going to like dating." Pony said.

"Why not?" I asked.

"Because I really don't like baseball and well it's seems to be all about baseball terminology."

Darry and I laughed. "Just don't hit a home run."

"Sunny!" Darry growled.

"Oh come on Darry he knows what it is." I pulled down close to me in a tight hug. "He's growing up." I rubbed the back of my baby brother's head.

"Boy's has Soda come, we need to get going?" It was Grandma's voice.

"Pony and Darry are the only ones going. I don't feel too hot."

"Come on Pony." Darry tugged at his sleeve leaving me no choice but to let him go. I sighed; I had nothing left to do now but sit here and think. I reached for the phone to give Grace that call.

Soda's P.O.V

Sandy and I walked along the beach. It felt how it did in Tulsa accept better.

"I can't believe you." She exclaimed. "I haven't been out with anyone in ages. My Lord, I thought they'd never let me see a boy again."

"I have to have you back by nine." I reminded her.

She grinned. "We have a few hours to ourselves Soda."

I loved how beautiful she was even without make up. She twirled around underneath my arm. "Let's just be together."

Sandy came real close to my face. She stood in front of me with both of her hands locked onto mine. I moved in to kiss her. Neither of us stopped until we were completely down in the sand.

"I missed you so much." I whispered.

"I missed you too." She snuggled close to me.

We watched the sunset together and went and got ice crème.

"You'll have to take me home." Sandy said.

I nodded. "I guess we should both go freshen up."

I went into the bathroom. I fixed my hair that's when I noticed it. "Oh no." I said out loud. I glanced at Sunny's watch. He had given it to me to remind me when twelve been. I had to be home at twelve. I had to go to lunch, the lighting thing on the square. Well. I was well over six hours late. Darry was going to holler at me until he was blue in the face and then I knew what was coming from Sunny. He warned me the first time. I hit my head against the mirror. "Why, why couldn't you remember what happened the last time."

I walked out of the bathroom and found Sandy by the door.

"Are you okay? You look a little pale?" She ran her fingers through my hair.

"I'm alright." I muttered taking her hand.

It was only a ten minute walk back to Sandy's house. I paid bus fair on the way home. I tried to think of ways to explain why I was so late but I didn't know what to do. Once the bus pulled to a stop I had to run seven blocks back to the house. All the lights were off and only Sunny's car was in the driveway. I pushed open the door, I had to face the music there was no other way.

"Where were you?" Sunny asked automatically.

"I told you I was at my friend's house." Why was he sitting in the dark?

Sunny shook his head. "You were at some random kids' house? Does this kid have a name?"

"Yes"

When I didn't go on. He glared at me. "Do you want to give Darry a second heart attack because if it wasn't for Pony he might have had one?"

I shook my head no. Sunny jumped off the couch. I wanted to run upstairs and shut the door. "Soda, I gave you that watch so you could check the time. Why the hell were you late? Why the hell couldn't you pick up a fucking phone?"

"I don't know. I just met this girl and lost track of time." I really felt like Pony when he knew he was going to get yelled at.

"That's not a good reason. You left your family because you met some girl."

"No, she's special!" I screamed.

"Don't you dare raise your voice to me right now? Let me tell you something who ever your little fling is! You're not seeing for the rest of the trip do you understand me? You need to spend time with your family"

I waited way to long to see Sandy and no one was going to keep me from her. "No!"

"No? You're really telling me no right now?" Sunny raised his voice. It was weird because when Darry yelled it could get real scary but when Sunny only raised his voice it was enough to make me shake.

"I don't need you telling me how to spend my time. I'm not Pony, I'm not a kid."

"You're seventeen and running around a strange state, with a strange person alone. I hate to tell you this Sodapop but right now Ponyboy is acting more mature than you!"

"I don't care! I don't need you telling me what I can and can't do! If I want to go see her I'll go see her and you're not stopping me!" I screamed. "I don't give a damn what you, Darry or our grandparents say."

I wished right then and there that I hadn't said anything. Sunny shook his head. "I can't believe you would have that little respect Soda. Darry has given his whole life for you. You run off like that; it scares him to death and you couldn't give a shit less. You know what your are? You're a little kid." He grabbed me by my arm.

I already started feeling guilty about what I said and what I did, not just because I knew he was going to strap me until I was bruised but because I knew I had hurt everyone and was being selfish. Sunny marched me into our room. He pulled out his belt; last time he went easy and used his hand. He grabbed me pulling me over his knees and brought his belt down harder than he ever has. I started bawling on the third strap. What was worse was I lose count after seventeen.

"I'll be good just stop!" I finally bagged. He strapped me two more times. He stood up standing me up right. Then left leaving me alone. I flung myself on the bed and cried. My backside was on fire. I couldn't stop thinking about Darry and how freaked out he was and how I barely spent time with my Grandparents. I didn't regret any of it. I loved Sandy. I rolled off my bed. I wondered if Sunny was still mad.

He was laying down stairs in the dark again. He had the TV on really low but his face was buried in the couch. He waved slightly to me when he heard me but didn't look up.

"Sunny, Why are you in the dark?" My voice was louder than the TV.

He sat up. "I have a migraine."

"I can help." I sat down carefully next to him and winced. That couldn't be good if I wasn't going to be able to sit. I rubbed his temples and massaged the back of his head.

"Kid, I think you have a career in massaging."

"Better?" I asked.

"Yeah, thank you." He pulled me under his arm and kissed the back of my head.

"I'm real sorry about everything." I said.

"Don't apologize to me, apologize to Darry."

Darry's (P.O.V)

I helped Pony in. I knew he wasn't feeling good. He was trying to put on a brave front. He made the b-line for Sunny. I just let it go. Why did I feel like my brothers were slipping from me? I stepped out on the back porch. It was like the tighter I tried to hold on to them the more the slipped out from under me.

"Hey, he's running a small temperature." Sunny stepped out. "What are you doing out here?"

I shook my head. "It's a nice night."

"Darry, are you alright?"

"I don't understand it."

"Understand what?" He asked.

"You! I don't get it, you can raise your hand and ten minutes later they want you! I raise my voice and I'm branded a bad guy! They want you when they are sick, when they need someone to talk too. How do you do this, Sunny? I've been raising them 8 months longer than you have! How can you just walk in here and know how to take care of them?"

Sunny shook his head at me. "When are you going to stop punishing me? I love my brothers, all THREE of them. So, stop punishing me for it!" He walked inside slamming the door minutes later, I heard his tires squeal.

I smacked my hand into a chair as hard as I could sending the chair flying into the ground. I heard some a small noise. I looked up to see Pony standing there. "Ponyboy!"


	10. tattoo

I ran after Pony. He was fast but the fact that he could hardly breathe helped me out a lot. I caught up with him, and turned him around. "You okay?" I asked.

"He left, didn't he?" He fell down in sitting position on the grass. "Why?"

I sat down next to him. "We got in a fight." I answered.

Pony looked down at his hands. "I heard"

I ran my fingers through my hair. I really screwed this one up. I honestly didn't know if he was going to come back or not. "Come on, let's get you in bed."

Soda was fast asleep already. Pony climbed up in the bed and I brought the covers up over him. His cheeks were beginning to flush. I laid my hand on his head. "Damn it" One of us always gets sick on holidays. Soda had stomach virus on Halloween. I was recovering from a heart attack on Thanksgiving. "Does anything hurt?" I asked.

"It feels" Pony paused for a second he was looking for the right word. "Shitty"

"Don't cuss or I'll get the hot stuff again." I threatened.

"Okay, good night." He flipped over on his side.

"Feel better." I was almost out in the hall. When I heard the springs of the mattress give.

"Darry?" Pony called.

I turned around quickly. "Yeah?"

Pony paused; he looked like he doubted what he wanted to say to me. "I love you. He shut his eyes really fast, and turned back over.

It was the first time he had really ever said that to me. I ran my fingers on the back of my head. I smiled. "I'm not too good at saying that to you like Sunny is am I?"

"You say it, just in different ways." He replied.

I sat down and looked at him questionably. "Like how?

Pony gave me a look that pretty much told me I was stupid. "Giving up your life, to take care of us." He said.

"What do you call what Sunny did?" I smirked. He gave up his life too.

"Feeling guilty, he didn't have to give up his life; he had to get in trouble to come here. You didn't. Sunny really didn't have to give up anything."

"Believe me kiddo, he gave up a lot."

"Maybe but you gave up more." Pony said. "We don't want to lose him, but we can't lose you."

I smiled. "You are wise behind your years Pony, you know that?"

"I think that's probably why I skipped a grade." He grinned.

"You smart ass." I muttered.

"Rather be a smart ass then a dumbass." There it was Sunny's influence.

"I love you too."

"What about me?" Soda asked. He flipped over and grinned up at me.

"I thought you were asleep?"

"You and Pony talking two inches from my ear is going to wake me up."

"Yeah, I love you too, even if you do need a leash, where were you?" I asked.

Soda put the covers over his head. "Good night."

"I'm going to find out. I always do."

"Not always;" Soda said as I walked out in the hall; choosing to ignore his comments. I want down stairs and starred at the Christmas tree. "Dad, please let him come back." I said out loud.

"He's be a fool if he didn't"

I spun around and came face to face with Rosa. "Hi"

She smiled; I could feel myself blush and thanked God that they only light in this room right now was the Christmas tree. It illuminated her features and I couldn't help myself anymore. "Hi" She said. "I had fun tonight."

"Me too." I replied. I stopped thinking. I moved in and kissed her. I backed up and she leaned into me we fell on the couch not breaking the kiss.

Sunny's P.O.V

It's small world that's for sure. I never thought I'd ever see Pierce again. I used to hang out with him back in California. He gave me my first joint in return that I pierce his ear. After that he learned to pierce his own self, but still gave me my stuff for cheap and if I smoked it with him he always gave me it for free. We parted ways when I went to college and he ran away. Now he's a Buddhist, covered in tattoo and with a nickname like Pierce one can only imagine what his face looks like. I slid out of my unbuttoned shirt. I shook my head at last night's memory.

_"If you're not going to drink that I will."_

_I looked down at the jack and coke I had ordered. It wasn't __appealing__ once Pony's voice popped in my head telling me he didn't want me drinking anymore. I slid the glass to the stranger next to me. "You know if you have something wrong, a good tattoo and piercing will help."__I knew that phrase._

_I grinned as my blood went cold and looked for the first time __at__ the guy who was drinking my liquor. "You dirty son of a bitch!"_

I couldn't believe I almost left. I seriously thought about it. After pouring everything out to Pierce. I realized I couldn't go back to California and I needed my brothers. I did the one thing Darry hated.

I had no sleep and once again my gas was getting low. I wondered if my Grandparents were home. They had seen my other tattoos but I wasn't sure if they were not going to like to see this one. It was bloody and starting to scab. I parked the car in the driveway. Pony was outside smoking; he looked like hell. I buttoned my shirt back up. "Hey, baby."

"Sunny!"

"Yeah!" I mocked his excitement. How you feeling?" I asked.

"Not good, but I wanted to smoke." He grinded his cigarette out on the side walk.

"Come on. You should probably go back to bed." I led him inside.

Soda was sitting on the floor. He grinned at us. "Darry is upstairs." There was more to that sentence then the truth. He wanted me to go talk to Darry.

I walked quietly down the hall unsure of what to say to Darry. I wanted to take my shirt off. I cursed my self normally something like this would be a couple of sessions but no. I had to be stupid and do it all in one night.

I watched as Darry flinched. He was shaving. "Damn razor." He cursed as blood trickled out from his cut, and down his chin.

"Reminded me, when Pony starts shaving to be the one to teach him."

Darry whirled around. "I didn't think you'd come home again." He admitted. "I thought I pushed you over the limit."

"I thought I was going to give you another heart attack."

"You might." He said.

I tore some toilet paper off the rack. "Here this might help stop the bleeding."

He took the toilet paper from my hand then did something that Darry and I never did before. He hugged me hard. I hugged him back. "You're hurting me."

Darry let go. "Sorry. Where'd you sleep last night?"

"I didn't. I found an old friend." I could hear Pony and Soda's foot steps on the hall way floor. I took out my cigarettes and hit the box against the counter, to pack them.

"That's a new pack. You bought a new pack yesterday. You smoked an entire pack already!"

"So? It actually my third pack." Pony helped a little bit. After last night he had to figure I'd smoke.

Darry rolled his eyes. "You're going to die. Can't you cut back a little bit?"

I tossed my pack in the garbage. "You know, Pony doesn't want me to drink, you won't let me smoke. I'm going to live to be a hundred with you people."

Darry starred me for a second; then went back to shaving. "So, where'd you go?"

"I met up with an old friend." I unbuttoned my shirt showing them.

"What the hell is that?" Darry asked starring at my rib cage.

"It's a protection chant; I got it just for you." I smiled.

"Are you serious?" He asked.

I smiled. "Yup."

"What's the dancing flute guy?" Soda asked.

"It's a kokopelli." I answered. "He's said to be the spirit of music."

"That chant takes up your entire side almost." Pony said. "Doesn't that hurt?

Like the fucking devil. "I'm okay. Come on you, you should probably lie down, and I'm tired." I waved bye to Soda and Darry.

I fell asleep with Pony. I didn't wake up until later. Pony's breathing had gotten really raspy. I could tell it was hard for him. I shook my head. Poor kid, being sick on Christmas had to awful. I was worried about the other two having to sleep with him in the same bed. I picked up my shirt and buttoned it.

Everything was really dim. I looked at the clock. It was seven already. I figured there was an empty house but when I got down stairs. Soda and Grandpa were playing chess on the coffee table. "Watch out, Soda cheats."

Soda stuck his tongue out at me. "Where's Darry?" I asked.

"He and Rosa went to the store." Grandpa answered.

Soda gave and uneasy laugh. "Two hours ago. Guess I'm not the only ladies man."

Rosa was a nice girl but right now she spelt trouble. Especially for my brother, who has a hard time expressing how he feels and avoids it by building a wall and driving out anyone who tries to break it down.

"Maybe you should give him a whipping." Soda mumbled.

I glared at him. "That's one way to describe what I'm going to do."

As if right on time; Darry and Rosa came parading in. I grabbed my brother by the arm. "Walk with me Darrel."

"Sunny, let go! I'm not Soda or Pony!"

I smacked him hard in the back if the head. "What are you doing? Darry, you have a girlfriend back home."

Darry shifted nervously from one foot to another. "Stay out of it."

I shook my head. "Buddy, why?"

He turned so his back was against me. He reminded me of Holly; she used to do that to me all the time when she got mad. "Look, Darry I'm in your side." I flipped my shirt off to let the air hit my tattoos and sat in the sand. "You know a wise friend once taught me that a tattoo can help."

He rolled his eyes and sat next to me. "Sunny, you know that you love Grace but I doubt that I love Maria."

"Do you love Rosa?" I asked skeptically.

Darry shook his head. "I hardly know her. Pony and Soda the like Rosa, and Rosa could take better care of them."

"This isn't about them, it's about you."

Darry shook his head. "It's always about them, everything is. If they don't like or trust my girl friend, then she doesn't need to be around them. Rosa helped take care of her brothers and sisters before she came here. Grace teaches Sunday school. She understands kids." He stared down at his hands. "Things just got rocky, the last thing I need is another rocky relationship."

I understood what he meant. "Just don't get hurt."

Darry smirked, he looked at my tattoo. "You really got that for me?"

I looped an arm around his neck. "You always were a pain in my side. I decided I'd make it official."

"Ha, ha" Darry huffed.

"Come, we have a kid to take care of." I jumped up brushing the sand off my legs.


	11. christmas

I waited until Sunny got off the phone. He just got finished singing and playing Grace a song that he wrote. I waited until he hung and walking to our room.

He set his guitar down. "Hey, buddy. When did you guys get back?"

"Just a little while ago." I edged myself into the room. "Sunny, do you think you will marry Grace?"

He looked a little shocked from my question. "Yeah, one day I will."

"What if she did something bad, really bad?" I sat down next to him.

Sunny laughed. "I'd forgive her."

"What if she cheated on you? What if she had sex with someone? Could you still date her:"

"It'll be hard, but I'd try. I believe in second chances, allowing people to learn from their mistakes." I starred down at my hands. I wasn't sure what to say next. "Sodapop, what's going on?"

I bit my lip. Sunny got up and shut the door. "Soda, what's going on with you?"

"Do you know anything about Sandy?" I asked.

"The girl who cheated on you, and was sent to Florida?" He answered. Then all the sudden his face locked. "Tell me you didn't look her up."

"I did."

"You're young. Honey, she lives in Florida, you live in Tulsa. You are going to have to take this time apart and meet other people. I know getting dumped hurts, but in time people get over it. I promise, one day it will stop."

I just starred at my hands. "I want to marry her."

"Sodapop, if you were ready to be married. You wouldn't be coming to me like this. Listen to me. Have fun being a kid, it's not going to last much longer."

"But, I love her. I'm afraid if I leave. I'll lose her."

"Soda, if that happens, you never had her to begin with." Sunny grinned. "Besides, when we get home, there will be at least hundred girls waiting for you."

"I guess so, but it's not like they really matter."

Sunny's grin faded. "You really are in love."

"I told you that." Sunny shook his head. He just starred at me with a sad look in his eyes. "What?"

He sighed. "You're growing up, really fast." He just kept looking at me, he shook his head hard. I think it was to get the tears out of his eyes. "Damn, feels like just the other day you were trying to get me to drink lemon Pepsi."

I smirked. "That feels like forever ago."

"Yeah, but it wasn't that long ago. She's going to have to grow up too."

"That's just it, she has, and I still love her. She loves me. I want to be with her. I don't want to ever leave Florida because I know I'm going to end up missing her. I don't want that. Do you know what it's like to miss someone? Do you know what it's like when you know you are going to miss someone?"

"Yeah, I do. Soda, you realize there are a lot of reasons you can't stay here in Florida, or bring her back with you."

I knew, I wasn't ready to be married yet. She wasn't either. She still needed time. I needed a better job. She wanted to go to college. "Yeah, I realize those reasons. I just wish it didn't have to be this way."

"I know."

"Will you let me tell Darry, that I looked Sandy up?"

"Yeah, you can tell him. Go shower and stuff. We have to go to church."

Sunny's (P.O.V)

I set my guitar in my case. It was official, Soda was growing up. It wasn't going to be long before Pony was going too. I ran a comb threw my hair. "Time for church"

I thought Pony would throw a fit and want to stay here. I figured maybe I could get out of it. That was didn't end up happening. Pony wanted to go, and he stuck it out. It was ridiculously long too. After about an hour of sweating it out, we went to some restaurant to have dinner. Pony looked like hell had hit him. His cheeks were red, and he couldn't touch his food. I looked at Darry. He understood too. Pony hadn't complained but we couldn't keep the kid here much longer. We'd have to leave after Christmas I brushed the hair back from his eyes.

"What's wrong, Pony?" I asked. "You need to take a bite."

His cheeks went redder with the UN wanted attention. "Don't feel good."

I looped an arm around him. "I know kiddo." He started coughing like crazy. I grabbed his Pepsi and handed it to him. "Sip slowly," I told him.

Dinner wasn't very long. I think we all liked it better at the house anyway. Darry leaned over me. I was holding Pony in a kitchen chair. The kid was shivering. "Open," Darry slipped a spoon of cough syrup in his mouth. Pony grimiced.

"Be careful with the shit. You already gave him asprin." I said, not wanting to have a doped up little brother. I had heard too much medicane can get a person sick.

Darry rolled his eyes at me. "Drinking orange juice isn't going to get him any better either." He was mocking how I believed when you are sick you need to drink orange juice.

"Here," Grandpa handed Pony a strangely wrapped package. He rubbed the top of his hair. "It might come in handy."

Pony unwrapped the gift. It was a blanket, with his name in the bottom of it. "Thank you." He said spreading the blanket over him.

"Pony, try to finish that." Darry said gesturing to the bowl of soup.

Pony shook his head. "It hurts to swallow."

"Come on, let's go to bed." I said to Pony, I grabbed him underneath his arms to balance him.

"Need sleep?" Darry asked me. "I'll stay with him."

I shook my head. "It's alright, Darry."

Pony's (P.O.V)

I rolled over. No one was in the bed. I could hear banging around in the kitchen. It was followed by shhhh and a ton of shut ups. I popped out of bed realizing that it was Christmas. I couldn't really call it a bed; it was more of a couch bed that Sunny and I were sharing, since I was sick. I walked up stairs and saw Darry and Sunny in the kitchen. They both had the biggest grins on their faces.

"Fuck you" Sunny said.

"Shut up, you are going to wake the entire house up." Darry hissed. "Find the syrup."

"It is out it on the table." He said smacking Darry on the head.

Darry kicked him, and Sunny went down like a pile of bricks. He gave Darry the finger and picked himself up off the floor. He caught sight of me. "We wake you up?"

Darry grinned. "It's Christmas morning. That's why he's up." I swear there was something about Christmas, or maybe it was because of where we were at. Darry was much happier. I think it was because he didn't have to work, or worry about anything. I wrapped the blanket tighter around me.

"Merry Christmas" I coughed.

Darry sighed. "That doesn't sound good."

"I can't breathe." I muttered.

Darry rubbed the back of my head. With one hand, and used the other to feel my forehead. "You're awfully warm. You up for eating anything?"

"No," I answered.

I could tell Darry wanted to persist, but he couldn't because Soda came screaming down the steps followed by our Grandparents. They were shaking their heads at his enthusiasm.

"Merry Christmas." He shouted to everyone.

It made my head pound even more. I took a seat and wrapped the blanket I got yesterday around me tighter. I shut my eyes as I leaned into the chair. I felt someone kiss the top of my head. It was soon followed by another. I head my grandparent's voices.

"Open" Sunny demaned. I opened my eyes. He was towering over me. He laughed at me thinking to open my eyes. "Baby, I have to take your temperature."

I opened my mouth and he shoved the thermometer under my tongue. Sunny stood over me like a watch dog. He took it out. "All shit!" He said. It was loud enough for the entire kitchen to head, including our grandparents.

"A-a, what's wrong?" Darry asked. He was clearly uncomfortable with Sunny's choice of words.

"103, he's burning up."

"We need to take him to the hospital." Grandma said.

"No, there's no need for that." Darry ran a rag under cold water.

I shuttered, I had a good idea what was going to happen next. I squirmed when Darry pressed the rag on the back of my neck, it felt like ice. "You want to lie down since we are going to have breakfast?"

I shook my head. I wanted to stay near my family. Half way through breakfast Sunny gave me more cough syrup because I couldn't stop coughing, then Darry gave me three aspirin. By the time we opened presents, I was wedged between Sunny and Darry on the couch, nearly half awake.

"Here, we put this together for you." Sunny handed out Grandparents, a green bag. It was a scrap book we had all put together. It started with my Dad and ended with me.

I watched as our Grandma teared up. She passed the book to our grandfather and made our rounds kissing and hugging us. The rest of the day we didn't have to do anything. I just listned to Soda and Sunny play every Christmas song ever made. I still couldn't help but think about my parents. I tried to picture what Christmas would be like. I couldn't, we never had Sunny before. That was weird to think about now. He just seemed like he was always here, like he never went away. I guess most kids didn't meet their older brother when they were fourteen.

"B?" Soda questioned.

Sunny shook his head. "No, What key has four sharps."

It was like we weren't thinking about this being the first Christmas with out our parents. It was more like our first Christmas with Sunny and our Grandparents.

I watched Darry and Grandpa drink eggnog. It was weird because my Dad was the perfect combination of his parents. Darry and Sunny both looked like my Dad.

"Soda, practice that." Sunny grinned.

"Sounds better when you play it." It was weird to see Soda concentrating on something other than cars and girls.

Sunny's P.O.V

"Do we need to stop and grad anything?" I asked waving bye to our Grandparents.

"No, the insisted we take the cough syrup and then aspirin." Darry grinned. He turned the station.

"Don't start that." I said.

"I don't want to listen to your drug music."

He changed Jimi Hendrix to The Doors. I laughed. "You think the Lizard King doesn't do drugs?"

"Shut up."

Once we were on the highway I grinned. "It's been a while." I pulled out a pack of cigarettes. Darry groaned. "Did you have fin in Florida?"

He glanced back at Pony and Soda. "Yeah, it's back to basics now."

"Hey, at least we get our own beds back."

BREAK HERE

"What the hell is that?" Darry asked.

"I think it's what it looks like."

I pulled into our driveway as a man in a suit stepped down from our doorstep. There were three cop cars on our street.

Darry and I stepped out.

"Darrel Curtis and Sunshine Curtis?" The man had a deep voice. It was almost scary. "Would you guys care to explain where you've been?"

It was freezing outside. I wished now I wouldn't have packed my coat away.

"We visited a few relatives for Christmas." Darry said.

"You didn't bother to drop a note to social services." The man spat sarasticaly.

Another door slammed. "Pony won't get out."

"Tell him he has to or the officers will make him."

"He's sick." Darry explained. His voice was straining to remain calm.

"Where were your relatives located?" He asked.

"Florida"

"There are no realtives on record for you boys. You are not allowed to leave the state with them with out telling us first." He was screaming at us like school kids.

"Sir," Darry began to reason with him. I opened the car door and pulled. Pony out.

"Darry!" My voice was close to yelling. Soda flinched next to me. "Take him inside."

Darry turned around to look at me. I could tell he was pist. I shoved Pony toward him "Tale him." I repeated, this time it was more of a plead. "Please." He took Pony from me. I kissed the top of his head. I looked at Soda. "Go on, kiddo. It's alright."

I waited until the door was shut, before I started talking. "Sir"

"Rules, are rules Mr. Curtis, I play by the rules."

I nodded. "You have every right to take action."

"I'm_ going_ to take action."

"My time is really limited, sir, I beg you to please not take them away. If we knew we had to tell you a head of time, we would have."

"Do you have a disease Mr. Curtis?" He smirked.

"No, I have one of these." I took my wallet out and pulled out the notice I had received in the mirror, just a few days before we left for Florida. I handed him the notice. "As I said before, my time is limited."

"The bastards are taking everybody." His voice was filled with emotion. "Good luck Mr. Curtis, enjoy the time with your family."

"Thank you, sir." I said. I folded the slip of paper and put it back in my wallet. It was official. I was being drafted.


	12. Word's out

I starred down at my hands, as Maria went pale. I made myself look at her. I wasn't going to be a coward. She shook her head angrily. "I can't believe you. I hope you had a wonderful Christmas with your new whore."

"We aren't together."

She turned around and glared at me. "So, you ruined our relationship for nothing. You are a brilliant one." Her voice was soaked in sarcasm. "I can't believe you. You aren't even sorry. You wanted sex. I'm happy you "

I stood up. "I have a kid to take care of." I cut her off and walked to my car. I pulled up to the house wondering if this day could get any worse.

I went inside. The house was quite since Pony was running a fever and Soda was puking. I was happy that Sunny stomached things like that. I didn't think he could. I knew I couldn't. I could handle the sickest of cuts, scrapes and broken bones, but puke made my eyes water and my stomach queasy. I pushed open the door to the boy's bed room. "Hey guys. You two feeling any better?"

Soda rolled over to look at me. "Will you make mushroom soup?"

"Yeah, little buddy, I will." I brushed Pony's hair back. "What about you? You want some?" I asked.

He nodded but didn't take his head from his pillow. I sighed grabbing a few things from the pantry. At least Pony was starting to look better.

"How'd it go?" Sunny's voice echoed behind me.

I smirked, even though he couldn't see it. "How did breaking up with your last girlfriend go?"

"They'll be other girls."

"Yeah, who really has time? I have to work and take care of the little brothers."

"Don't spend all your time working?" I turned too looked at him. There was something in his voice. Something sad, yet meaningful, I didn't like it.

"What going on with you? Why are you looking at us like we've been sentenced to death, and talking about having fun and time."

Sunny sighed; he rubbed his face in his hands. When he brought his face back up he had tears in his eyes. "Sunny?"

"Darry, they took me. I'm being drafted."

I dropped the half opened can of mushroom soup. It exploded all over the cabinets and floor. "What? When?"

Sunny ran a hand threw his hair. "I have another week. And a half I found out the day we left for Florida. I didn't want to ruin Christmas."

"Not my brother." I hissed.

"Little brother, it's alright." He moved and hugged me hard. I tried to push him off. I was angry that he didn't tell me. He tightened his hold on me.

"When did you have plans to tell us? When the bus was here for boot camp?"

"Listen to me. I wanted to tell you the second I got that letter but you had enough going on. I had plans to tell you when we got back but the Pony and Soda got sick. Don't get angry, my time is short and I don't want to spend it with you angry at me."

"What's going on?" Pony asked out of no where. Sunny released me.

"Nothing baby." Sunny answered.

"I think you guys had an accident." Pony gestured to the soup that had exploded all over the floor.

"Yeah, I dropped the can." I said. I still had shock from Sunny's news. I grabbed a towel and began to clean the floor.

Sunny leaned down and kissed the top of Pony's hair. "Go back to bed. I have to go get some stuff done. I'll be back in a little while.

Sunny's POV

I felt like walking. I don't know why. I just wanted to feel the ground underneath me. I came to the church. I could see the little kids pouring out of the class room. I pulled my coat around me tighter. I pushed past the kids and their parents. I made my ways down the hall. The hall always smelt like incense from church.

"Hi Sunny;" Grace grinned at me.

"Hi. Happy Birthday Jesus?" I questioned the writing on the bored.

Grace laughed. "Yeah, the kids wanted to write birthday cards."

"Here, I'll give you hand with the bored." I erasing the bored for her.

"Yeah, thanks I have one more class with the older children. Then I'm free for the rest of the night."

"I just had to ask you a question. I was tired of waiting, but Soda and Pony are sick. I'm staying with them tonight. You're welcome to come over. Darry broke up with Maria."

"I'm sorry to hear that." Grace said. She was still behind her desk. I leaned on the bored and put the chalk back on the ledge. "What did you need to ask me?"

"Why don't you come out from behind the desk?"

She stood up. "Sorry, I dropped all my papers."

I smiled and pointed at the bored. Her face looked shocked. "Are you being serious?"

"I have to leave, but before I leave, I want to make sure everything I have, and everything I love is secure. I want to make sure it will be there when I return."

"Are you going back to California?" She asked, taking her hands in mine.

"No. I got drafted. I leave in a week and a half."

"Oh God." Her hands slid up my body to my face. "Tell me you are lying."

I pulled her into a hug. I brought my face down on her hair. "We only have a week and a half. We could get married now. Maybe they would send you to Germany then."

I shook my head. "No, it's too late, I'm going to Vietnam. Does that mean yes?"

Grace nodded. "Yes. I'll wait for you until you get back."

I held her as tight as I could. I didn't want to let go. I could tell she didn't want to either. Her next class came piling in. I could hear the snickers of her Sunday school kids. I smiled. "I'll see you tomorrow. We need to pick out a ring."

The walk home was colder. I wanted to stop at Buck's place. There was no amount of nicotine or alcohol that was going to calm my nerves now. I could something roaring with laughter inside our house.

"What's going on? I asked dropping my scarf, hat and coat on the table." Pony had Darry down on the floor. It looked as if they were fist fighting, and Pony was winning.

"His fever has gone down." Darry said.

"It's amazing how resilient kids are."

"Oh yeah, amazing." Darry flipped Pony over on his back. Pony recovered and went straight for a choker hold.

I grinned. "He's getting real tuff." I picked Pony up by his ankles. "I wouldn't wiggle too much; I'll drop you on your head."

Darry stood up. He pulled the end of Pony's shirt over his head and tickled his stomach. I laughed as Pony curled his body. "Not fair!" He shouted.

"And you two tell me not to be ruff." Soda's groggy voice came from behind us.

I tossed Pony on the couch. "The kid's fever goes down and he turns into a ball of energy." I turned my attention to Soda. "You alright buddy?"

Soda shrugged. "Come over here kiddo." I told him. I looked down at Pony who looked like he was about to bounce off the walls.

"Calm down." I told him firmly. I looked at Darry and let him know I was telling them. Darry nodded. He sat down in the chair. Darry shut his eyes.

Pony was still squirming. "Look guys, I have no way of telling you this easy. I wanted to wait, but I can't wait anymore. I got drafted guys."


	13. Goodbye

"I got your message on my desk this morning." Grace had told me to meet her in The Plaza Hotel, in room 616. It was my last day at work before Vietnam. Grace was sitting on a hotel bed in a towel.

"Hi," she blushed slightly.

I smirked in amusement. "What's going on? Why did you ask me to meet you here?"

"I wanted to do something special for you. I couldn't take you back to the first place where I ever met you; I couldn't take you to Seattle where it all started between me you."

"I see." I said not understanding anything.

"Sunny if anything happens to you"

"Nothing is going to happen." I said sternly.

Grace smiled. "But if it does. I want to know that I gave you everything. I want you to know it too." She stood up and dropped her towel.

"Grace," I took her face in my hands. "Are you absolutely sure you want to do this."

She didn't say anything she only kissed me. The next thing I knew my clothes were next to her towel and we were under the covers.

Darry's P.O.V

"Okay guys, we have tonight and that's it. Do you guys want to do anything special?" I asked joining my two little brothers at the poker table.

"Let's have a party." Soda suggested. His heart really wasn't into it though.

"He doesn't want a big party, little brother. He's already had one."

"Then just us, Steve and Two-Bit if they want." Pony said. He was laying his head in his folded arms that were in the table.

"Sounds good to me." Soda said.

I stood up. "Come on guys try to smile, for Sunny's sake."

"Why the only thing that's made Sunny smile is Grace."

I ignored the comment from Soda. He couldn't even find a bright side to this because the truth is there isn't a bright side. Our brother was going to jungle, to fight in a war he didn't believe in to begin with. We didn't know if he was going to come back or not. Once again one simple detail was going to change our lives, forever.

The gang came over along with Grace and there was no talk of the war, leaving or anything like that. It was just an average night. That had to come to an end.

I wasn't sleeping. I tried but it just wasn't going to happen. I couldn't tobacco coming from Sunny's room. I rolled off my bed. He had fallen asleep smoking before. I walked right into his room. He was sitting on his bed; fully awake. He turned to look at me.

"I thought you feel asleep smoking. Shouldn't you be sleeping?"

"I have to get up in a half hour to leave anyway. Come over here." He patted the space next to him.

I sat down slowly next to him. "I was thinking about Soda." He began. "This war, it's not going to stop anytime soon. They'll take Soda the second he turns eighteen if he's not in school."

"I know." I said coldly. The last think I wanted tot think about was Soda in Vietnam.

Sunny slipped a card into my hand. "This is a school for the performing arts. A woman gave me this card a little while back when she heard him play piano in the music shop. He's enrolled starting next semester; it's a month into it. He'll have to go for summer school to catch up."

"Sunny, we both know we can't pay for this. The price for this school is insane."

"I know that's why our Grandparents are paying for this. It's to keep him safe; we can only pray that this was will be over when he gets out."

I hated the thought of our grandparents helping us out like this, but if it meant keeping soda out of the war, then I would deal with it.

Sunny's P.O.V

"I love you guys." I kissed and hugged both of my baby brothers. "Don't give Darry a heart attack. I'll still be able to whoop your asses when I get home."

"Why can't we go to the bus stop?" Soda asked. He was beginning to cry.

"It's going to be ever more hell for the both of us if you two come." I didn't want to let go. I didn't want to ever let go.

"Bye Sunny." Pony said He was the next Darry; he hid his emotions as best he could.

"I'll see you later, baby. Go back to sleep guys."

I could fell tears running down my face as I turned away. I couldn't bring myself to look back. I stepped into the darkness of the living room to see Darry standing there with an icy expression. He moved to walk out the front door. Then it hit me like a load of bricks.

I leaned back on the railing of the porch. I wasn't sure how I was going to do this; take sides in a dueling family when I couldn't stay neutral. Pony walked out with his head hung.

_"I'm in a lot of trouble aren't I?" He asked not looking up from his feet._

_"We gotta' talk pal. Come over here."_

_Pony slowly walked over not looking at me. I sat back on the railing hoping that I could maybe get down to his eye level a little better. "Look at me Ponyboy." I ordered. His eyes slowly dragged up but I could tell he wasn't looking straight at me._

_"What do I always tell you?" I asked._

_Pony shrugged. I shook my head. "I know you know I want you to state in for me."_

_"That's you'll never walk out that door and not come back." I could just barely hear him._

_"Do you think I'm a liar?" I asked_

"Darry," I called. He turned around and looked at me. "We have to go out that back door. I promised Pony, that I would never walk out the front door and not come back. I don't want to break a promise to him."

Darry opened the door wider and nodded for me to walk. "Then don't break it."


End file.
